Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I understand Deputy Burton's position on this issue and there is merit in addressing how exactly we will approach public service pensions in the longer term. I believe the Deputy is putting down a marker that the contribution under the proposed levy should be treated as a longer term approach. Another concern in this regard is whether the levy will pre-empt a longer-term approach. While I do not know what is the Government's agenda for funding public service pensions in the longer term or whether hybrid pensions, an idea mooted in other sectors, is on its agenda, it would be interesting to hear the Minister's views on how this emergency measure, which he does not regard as temporary, interacts with the longer term pension reform programme.

The Minister and his predecessors have consistently refused to countenance any changes in the Finance Bill on tax relief for pension contributions for the low paid on the ground that the Government awaits the great day when a comprehensive programme will be delivered. This has not, however, precluded it from producing the proposed pension levy. I ask the Minister to comment on the longer term public service pension reform agenda and on how he envisages the pension levy will interact with it.

See this speech in context