ABOUT 40 Bord na Móna pensioners protested outside the opening of the 13th International Peat Congress in Tullamore, Co Offaly, yesterday.
They claim that 390 Bord na Móna pensioners have had no increase in their pensions since 2002 and, as a result, their pensions have lost 25 per cent of their value. The Bord na Móna Staff Pensioners Association says it has made repeated representations to the company without success.
Bord na Móna managing director Gabriel D'Arcy said he had offered to meet the group yesterday but this had been declined.
He said the firm had negotiated a package of pension reform proposals, which included the elimination of the deficit in their scheme by way of a one-off payment.