Mr. Fergus Whelan:

The Deputy's figures are right, but his conclusion is slightly wrong. The people who have no occupational pension will be hit hard, but there is a slight chance they will pass a means test. The general workers in the private sector who worked and tried to put aside money for their pensions which have been decimated will be badly hit by this change because they paid their PRSI contributions in the expectation that their pension would be paid. They will not receive this pension and the means-tested benefit. They will, therefore, have no social welfare cover for those three years.