Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I accept the Minister of State's point on the timing of the Supplementary Estimate, which is fair enough.

However, the irony of the Minister of State appearing before the committee seeking clearance for the additional €25 million, virtually days in advance of the next austerity budget, is not lost on anyone. One can separate out this request for additional moneys from the broader issue of public service pensions in their totality. It is important to say that the vast majority of public sector workers have pensions of €30,000 or less but there is an issue around those who are in receipt of excessive pension payments. The Minister of State read out the figures I got in reply to a parliamentary question last summer. It is fair to say there are only a limited number of people who are in receipt of pensions in excess of €100,000. Will the Minister of State tell the committee what is the top of the range pension that is being paid out to the 84 pensioners? We had suggested a system using the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts and the levies on pensions over and above €60,000. We set them out in a legislative form. Our proposal remains on the table. If the Minister of State was to use that mechanism a saving of €10 million could be made. Rather than appearing before the committee seeking €25 million he would be seeking €15 million. Is it the Minister's intention to revisit the FEMPI legislation and the levies being paid on very high pensions?