Mr. Liam Berney:

The Deputy asked a fair question. I referred to blocklayers as one example of arduous employment but there are many others in the economy.

It is impossible to know what technological developments might come along in the future to eliminate the more arduous aspects. In construction, for example, there is still a very large number of people who are engaged in the type of arduous work that I have described. It is the same type of arduous work that the Deputy has said it would be unreasonable to expect them people to work beyond a particular age or well into their 60s but there are many occupations like that. I did reference nursing and, as the Deputy has said, nursing is a caring profession that is unlikely to see the technological innovation that will make it less arduous.

It is important to note what has happened in other jurisdictions. We can supply information to the committee on this matter. Committees like this one in other jurisdictions have developed ranks of occupations or set out occupations that should have access to the state pension or receive the state pension at an earlier age. I know that this is not something the Deputy would support, given that he is a member of the Green Party. In some countries, for instance, mining has been an occupation that the legislature has recognised as one that cannot continue into extended age. There is not a big tradition of mining in Ireland in the same way as there is in other countries, but mining is an example. There are attempts in other countries to classify occupations and give particular consideration to some by giving them early access to the state pension. We can provide information on that to the Deputy after this meeting.