Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have no problem being hung out to dry for this but that week we had a conversation here and what I said that day still stands. The following Friday morning in Cork, a local regional newspaper announced that we would not only pay people, but that we would be giving them back-pay which they would get within the next number of weeks. I had no hand, act or part in the report of that newspaper. I did not even speak to that journalist and do not, most of the time. He took the transcripts of our meeting here that day, took something that I said at 11 a.m., mashed it together with something I said at 10.10 a.m., rolled it up into a ball and made a front page story that was not true and which set expectations for women and men that they would get money retrospectively and that they would get nearly it all by Christmas. I will not take responsibility for that. That was what the Taoiseach then replied to the following Tuesday.

The expectations that were set were not mine and certainly were not his. Let me be emphatically clear to the journalist if he happens to be listening. We will issue a paper on how to resolve this issue and will put it to the Cabinet subcommittee, which will decide whether to accept our proposals or better them. If and when we find the money to fix this anomaly it will be done. I am talking about new money and I am here today asking for money because we do not have it at present.

I acknowledge and accept what the Chair and the committee have said to the effect that this is a separate issue from the ambitious pension reforms on which we are embarking next year, and which will come into play on 1 January 2020. We hope to resolve this issue long before that date.