The programme for Government makes a commitment to look after and defend the rights of retired citizens. ESB employees are protesting outside the gates of Leinster House. They are representing 9,000 retired ESB workers who have not had a pension increase since 2010. There is no cost of living increase and no linking with current employees' salaries. As the ESB is a semi-State company, will the Taoiseach or the Minister ensure its pension fund is being managed correctly and fairly and that former employees will be treated with some degree of dignity and respect?

I am not an expert on the particular pension fund. However, I met ESB pensioners some years ago when I was Minister for Social Protection. As the Deputy knows, the State pension is increased every year; in fact, it will increase this week by €5 a week. It has increased by about €1,000 a year in the past year. Pension funds such as the ESB's essentially are company funds and the amount that can be paid is linked with the amount pensioners paid in, the amount the company paid in and the quality of investments made by the scheme trustees in the interim. The Government cannot change this. It is about how much was paid in by the staff and the company and how well the investments have performed.