In light of the absolutely despicable treatment of workers in Independent newspapers by two of the richest people in the country, Denis O'Brien and Dermot Desmond, and the decision of a profitable company to further boost its financial position by slaughtering the pension entitlements of its workforce and pulling out of a defined benefit pension scheme, does the Government propose any legislation to prohibit profitable companies from pulling out of defined benefit pension schemes? It is one thing where the company is making a loss, but these are profitable companies which are just boosting their profits and slaughtering their workers' pension entitlements.

The Minister for Social Protection met recently with the chairperson of the Pensions Authority and has asked the authority to report back to him with an assessment of the current overall position in regard to such schemes. I will certainly refer the Deputy to the Minister on that. He is looking at it. This is a private company and, as such, the Government needs to be wary of raising expectations about what is possible. However, he is certainly taking advice on it.