The Government is set to table new proposals to resolve a long -running dispute over access to pensions for hundreds of community employment scheme supervisors.

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys informed Government politicians that they had agreed on measures to deal with the issue.

They told Government TDs and senators on Saturday that the Department of Social Protection would provide details to trade unions in the coming days.

The proposal is expected to involve provision to pay gratuities to individuals concerned which would be related to their service since 2008. Some sources have suggested that the amount involved could be up to €30 million.

Sources suggested that in future the issue for community employment supervisors could be addressed as part of a planned pension auto-enrolment scheme.

Community employment scheme supervisors, who support groups involved a range of sporting, community and voluntary activities, had warned they would ballot for strike action if the Government did not table proposals regarding access to pensions by this weekend.

They had previously staged a one-day strike in February 2020, just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

No details on the new proposal to resolve the pensions issue was provided to the Government politicians.

The trade union Siptu said on Saturday that it welcomed “the 11th-hour intervention” in the community employment scheme supervisors’ pension dispute.

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