Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Normally, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform loves things that decrease over time. Is that not right? It hates things that increase exponentially over time. In this case, over the next 20 to 30 years, the number of dependent adults, for example, will decrease because more people will have pension rights in their own right, particularly taking caring years into account. More of them will have worked to get the ten years' paid contributions. The number of other applicants will also decrease over time, so I do not think anybody could make the allegation that this will be an increasing cost over time. That €50 million, even if it is costed, will probably drop over time, looking at the schemes affected.