Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I have a great sense of déjà vu. Last year, we tried to pass a similar amendment. That amendment called on the Minister to produce a report within three months. That was amended by the then Minister for Social Protection, the current Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, to the effect that he would produce a report within six months. One year later and there is no sign of that report, but I remind everyone that that is probably because Deputy Varadkar was busy trying to become the Taoiseach and running a social welfare campaign declaring that welfare cheats were cheating us all. In fact, pension cheats cheat us all. That is what the Taoiseach has been guilty of. In the ten months since promising to do so, he has failed to produce a report on the matter.

I am all for supporting this and the other amendments on producing a report, but I will not hold my breath for the current Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, or the Minister of State sitting opposite to deliver. However, I am encouraged by the Minister's utterances about wanting to see this changed, that she is going to deliver on it and that, although she does not have the money now, she will find it within 12 months, if not sooner. She has acknowledged that the pensioners are protesting and kicking back, albeit in much smaller numbers than they did when Fianna Fáil withdrew their medical cards. They are beginning to mobilise, and I thank all of the Deputies who came out to the gates to speak to them, encourage them and show solidarity with them more than a week ago.

It is not good enough to say "I will, I will, I will" any more. I am sorry, but I do not believe it. The proof is in the pudding. The pudding in this case is the Taoiseach and his behaviour, for example, that he is doing all of this for those who get up early in the morning. I am encountering many pensioners who got up early every morning for many years only to be told that they were not worth the full whack when they came to pension age. The new bands, which were introduced as an austerity measure at the behest of the troika and encouraged by those who were prepared to co-operate with the troika and bail out the banks at whatever cost, are now impacting on people - mainly women, but also men - who have worked for all of their lives and are now being told that they are not worth a full pension and will have to accept less.

It is extraordinary that we can pay millions of euro to lawyers in Europe so that we do not have to accept Apple's tax but we cannot look after our pensioners, those who worked hard for all of their lives. Many of the people we met outside the gates last week were testament to that. Not only did they work, but they also reared their families and looked after the elderly.

Later, I will speak on amendment No. 7, which deals with the question of the homemaker in particular. That is a slightly separate issue, although it has been grouped with these amendments. It impacts more profoundly on women than just the making of the bands.

See this speech in context