Decision to delay start of auto-enrolment pensions due to ‘logistical issue’

By Cate McCurry, PA

A Government decision to delay the start of an auto-enrolment for hundreds of thousands of workers in a State-backed pension scheme is down to a “logistical issue”, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

Mr Martin said there were doubts as to whether the Government could have the enrolment in place by September, and it is expected to begin in January next year instead.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers previously confirmed the delay to the rollout earlier this month.

He also confirmed delays to increase the minimum wage.

“Auto-enrolment has nothing at all to do with competitiveness. The Government is promoting auto-enrolment,” Mr Martin said on Monday.

“There’s a logistical issue as to whether they can get ready for September or January. That’s the only issue.

“We’ve done a lot of work in the last number of years on promoting workers’ rights and [there have been] significant increases in minimum wage and so on.

“We need balance and perspective in debate now.

“The auto-enrolment issue is nothing to do with competitiveness or anything like that.

“It’s an issue of making sure that it will be ready logistically.

“There was some doubts. I think the previous minister was determined to try and get it ready for September, which we all ed.”

Mr Martin said the Government is “absolutely clear” on rolling out auto-enrolment.

“There’s no pullback on that. There’s no resiling from that in any shape or form,” he added.

“I want to make that absolutely clear, because I think it’s a fundamental progressive move for many, many workers who will have a deficiency in pensions by the time they retire.

“It is probably one of the more radical interventions we can make.

“It has taken a lot of time and a lot of work between different Government departments to get it to where it is today. We’re very determined to see it through.

“A few months in of the date of delivery, given the enormity of the initiative, is not something I would attribute to an antipathy to workers.”