Mr. Matt Kelly:

On the gold-plated pensions, that is not true. They were brass-plated pensions but we have not had a brass farthing for ten years. The Retired Aviation Staff Association, RASA, is associated with us also. In 2014, just before the cuts, their average pension was approximately €16,000. After cuts, the average pension is €14,000. In the case of ESB, the average pension is €26,000. We must remember that all these averages are averages in terms of those above and those below, and those below are suffering hardship. They are finding it difficult to live. They are having to cut their private medical insurance. They are really struggling at this stage because their pensions are not even matching the first tier safety net about which Senator Higgins spoke. It is a very serious problem for semi-State pensioners, and the State is not showing any appreciation of the 40 years we have spent working to provide the infrastructure for the State.