Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Let us move on. We will move on to the 40-year requirement. Mr. Duggan indicated that there had been a signalling for 20 years, from the 1990s until 2012, in advance of the change in the threshold from 260 to 520 contributions. My concern is that potentially we are talking about a two-year period of signalling if we bring forward the total contribution approach in 2020, whereby the requirement will be doubled from 20 years to 40. I know that Mr. Duggan has said no decision has been made, but he is seeking an opinion. As such, I think doubling the requirement with a two-year lead-in period is completely unfeasible, unacceptable and dangerous.