Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a couple of general points. It is absolutely the case that the total contributions approach is fair, particularly to women and those who have had caring responsibilities. In my office, and, I am sure, the offices of the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív and the Leas-Chathaoirleach, we regularly see women who rely on their partners' payments and who are not in a position to get a full pension, albeit that this position has improved in the past couple of years.

I want to check my understanding of what the Minister is saying. At the minute, you will be awarded whichever is the higher, either the total contributions or the yearly average. Am I correct that the step-down approach based on aggregation will apply to a person if it results in the higher amount but that if the total contributions amount results in the higher amount, the person will still be offered that, meaning there will still be two potential options, but that at the end of the ten years the yearly average approach will have been eliminated, having been stepped down, probably to the point where it would not be better for anyone anyway?

People can still get the full 100% total contributions during the course of ten years. That is fine. I want to ask if it is envisaged - it will not be contained in the legislation - that this will have any knock-on effect on the buying back of stamps. Will there be any implications for that or will it remain much the same as it ever was?