Alliance of Retired Public Servants
ALLIANCE OF RETIRED PUBLIC SERVANTS – New Council Members Elected
The TUI Retired Members Association is an active member of the Alliance of Retired Public Servants, which was set up over 18 months ago. Mr. Brendan Howlin, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in correspondence with the Alliance, agreed to ongoing engagement on public service pension matters once it had a formalised structure. The minister also agreed to "move towards reducing the burden of public service pension reduction, with the initial focus on the people in receipt of low pensions, at the earliest date economic progress permits.”
Membership of the Alliance includes representatives of the following :
- Retired Civil and Public Servants;
- Retired Teachers (RTAI, RSTA & TUIRMA).
- Retired Principals & Deputy Principals.
- Retired Members of the IMO;
- Retired Nurses;
- Retired Prison Officers;
- Retired Members of Dublin Fire Brigade;
- Retired City & County Managers;
- Retired Commissioned Officers;
- Retired members from Shannon Development
- Retired CEOs.
The combined retired membership of the above representative bodies at present is over 40,000. This will grow as the Alliance expands. It is estimated that there are well over one hundred thousand retired public servants. Being part of the Alliance of Retired Public Servants gives the RMA a greater voice in protecting our well earned pensions.
The first Biennial General Meeting (BGM) took place at Westmanstown Sports Centre, Lucan, on Thursday, 30th January, 2014 where the constitution of the Alliance was agreed. Delegates unanimously passed the following motion submitted by the RMA:
“That the BGM instructs the incoming Council of the Alliance of Retired Public Servants to continue to pursue as its pre-eminent objective the protection and restoration of Public Service Pensions, while respecting the duty of the Alliance to protect all the interests of pensioners.”
Other motions were passed, as follows:
The BGM instructs the incoming Council to
(a) advance the interests of Public Service pensioners by every means at its disposal, recognising that the priority is protect and restore Public Service Pensions.
(b) maintain close relations with the Trade Unions & Staff Associations involved.
(c) continue ongoing development of the link with the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
(d) continue to challenge the use of emergency powers to reduce the pensions of retired public servants.
New Elected Council for the Alliance
The BGM elected the following officers to the new Council:-
- Chairman: Brian Burke (Impact)
- Vice-Chairman: Gerry Blake (GSRMA)
- Hon. Secretary: Christy Conville (TUIRMA)
- Treasurer: Mike Moriarty (RSTA)
- P.R.O.: Seán O’ Riordáin (RCPSA)
Jim McCarthy, Chairperson of the RMA, is also a member of the Council of the Alliance of Retired Public Servants. Each retired association affiliated to the Alliance has two members on the Council.