Sir, – Your Cantillon column of May 17th ("Ictu swims against the tide on pensions") features criticism of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for recent policy statements we have made in relation to pensions and pension provision, specifically asserting that I had provided few answers while engaging in "clichéd" attacks.
The Ictu policy paper explained in great detail that the population projections relied on in the recent Milliman study are wholly inaccurate and cannot serve as a reliable guide to future pension policy. Ictu is not the only body that questions the hugely speculative assumptions underlying studies such as that from Milliman.
In fact, Ictu is very much swimming with the tide in seeking to defend the moderately decent state pension that our members and their employers have paid for.
Furthermore, Ictu general secretary Patricia King’s call to delay the raising of the pension age to 68 until the rest of Europe follows suit is no more than common sense. Despite repeated requests, we still have no explanation as to why Ireland has gone further and faster than any other EU member in raising the state pension age.
As Cantillon should know, the Government has taken no steps to ensure workers are retained in employment after age 65, meaning some face the prospect of three years with no income.
If criticising such a measure can be characterised as “swimming against the tide”, then what fate awaits those who go with the current? – Yours, etc,
FERGUS WHELAN,
Irish Congress
of Trade Unions,
32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.