The RTÉ Retired Staff Association (RTÉRSA) is very pleased to learn that Minister O’Donovan has rejected RTÉ’s attempt to raid our pension fund.
We mounted a very determined campaign to prevent a change to Rule 20 of the scheme which would have transferred the administration costs of the scheme from RTÉ to the actual fund.
We believe that such a move would have been detrimental to future payments and cost of living increments for our members. It is particularly important for those members who due to the rules of the scheme do not qualify for a state pension or benefits and rely solely on their RTÉ pension.
It would also have set a very negative precedent for pensioners in other schemes sponsored by Commercial State Bodies.
We would like to thank the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament (ISCP) and the Retired Members’ sub-committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for supporting our campaign.
We also send our thanks to Deputy Alan Kelly, Chair, and the other members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport for the interest they have shown in our campaign and asking questions of RTÉ.
Our particular thanks go to the Trustees of the Scheme who were opposed to the RTÉ plan and to our members for their continued determined action to stop the raid on our pension fund.
This is a good day for occupational pensioners and proves that older people can raise their voices to good effect!
Phil Healy,
Chair
RTÉ Retired Staff Association (DB)
20th April 2026