THE COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS’ Union (CWU) will be protesting outside the Dáil today over “unacceptable delays” for Ministerial approval for agreed pension increases for around 20,000 An Post and Eir pensioners.

Condemning the delay by the Minister for Communications, Patrick O’Donovan TD, the CWU said the increases to pensions at An Post and Eir have already been agreed by unions, trustees, actuaries and company boards.

In a statement, it said delaying the payments “shows an outrageous lack of respect and deepens the hardship of older people who must live on fixed incomes”.

It said the delays are now causing “real financial hardship for pensioners”, particularly for An Post workers who retired on health grounds.

The CWU said this has resulted in a two-and-a-half-year delay in pension payments which is affecting some of the “most vulnerable”, and would cost less than €10,000 per year to a fund valued at €3 billion.

It is calling on the Minister for Communication to approve the pension increases, and retrospectively apply the approved superannuation arrangements for those who retired on health grounds.

In a statement, CWU General Secretary, Seán McDonagh, said that the delays in approving and paying An Post and Eir pension increases “stands in stark contrast to the way public service pensions and the State pension are increased annually, and without any delay”.

He said retired Eir and An Post workers do not receive the State pension increases, and rely on agreed pension increases.

“There is no financial justification whatsoever for this delay. The pension schemes are private, well regulated, and in strong financial health and there is no cost to the Exchequer,” he said.

“Previous pension increases have been paid on every occasion, a position reinforced by recent High Court judgements. Yet despite the robust governance that is in place for these pension schemes, including independent actuarial oversight and established processes, pensioners are once again being subjected to needless bureaucratic delays with Minister O’Donovan’s office unable, or unwilling, to give any timeline for a decision on when his approval to pay these pension increases may be forthcoming.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Communications told The Journal that a proposal for the An Post pension increases was approved by Minister O’Donovan on 5 February 2026.

They said Ministerial approval is required from both the Department of Communications and the Department of Public Expenditure. 

“It should be recognised that the time taken for the pension approval process is necessary to ensure that robust governance procedures are in place, that the Code of Practice is complied with and the relevant legislation is adhered to,” they said.

“Whilst it is not possible, at this point, to set out the specific timeframe within which the decision-making process will be concluded by both shareholding Ministers in respect of increases submitted for consent, the Department is actively working to conclude the required approval process.”

In relation to the Eir pension increases, they said “Department officials will shortly be making a submission to the Minister, who will consider NewERA’s report and recommendations on the proposal and make a determination on whether to approve it”.

The consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure will also be required for the pension increase in the event that the Minister gives his approval.