Former Waterford Crystal workers deserve justice. That's the call from Waterford TD Matt Shanahan, who was speaking on behalf of the nearly four-hundred families awaiting a pension pay out.
Workers say they were misinformed in the 90s regarding the process, leading to them campaigning thirty years later for their pension.
It follows years of high court battles and protests by the former workers, many of whom have passed away.
Independent TD Matt Shanahan questioned Taoiseach Simon Harris at a recent Dáil sitting.
"It has been looked at by the Social Protection Minister, but the documentation that is meant to underpin those people signing away their rights has not been produced in over thirty years.
"The Waterford Crystal pensions saga which has been ongoing for over three decades was visited by RTÉ's Prime Time programme last week, where they uncovered new information that showed the understanding between the pensions trust and Irish Pension, that being over four hundred families, had been excluded from the transfer of a pension.
"The recent ECG court case that was taken in 2013, these people were excluded from that because they were not allowed access to the annuity scheme. Can I ask you Taoiseach, can you and your department please look into this on behalf of the workers? This has been going on for over thirty years now. This is a social justice issue."
In response, Taoiseach Simon Harris said, "Thanks to Deputy Shanahan for raising this issue, I know Minister Mary Butler sitting behind me has also raised this issue. I know it is important and you have raised it in good faith in relation to the Waterford Crystal pensions. Let me engage directly with the ministers involved and get back to you.@
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