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

I move amendment No. 12:

In page 23, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following:

“Report in ensuring people aged 65 years of age have right to retire on State Pension Contributory

45. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on restoring the option on the right to retire for those aged 65 years of age on a State Pension Contributory and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection within 9 months of the enactment of this Act.”.

We had a discussion on this only two weeks ago at the committee during the debate on the Estimates and the point has been well articulated in these Houses in the past two weeks. There has been a report on the Pensions Commission increases in PRSI for employers and employees. I think people would quite reasonably have expected the right to retire on a pension at 65, given the debate that took place, in particular during the previous general election and since then, supported by some of the trade unions and organisations representing older people. That is not to say everyone should need that or everyone wants that and, obviously, anyone who wishes to work should absolutely have that option, and whatever obstacles exist to that need to be removed. It is about having the choice. The Minister put it very well herself when she talked about the cleaner dragging a hoover up the stairs. That person might been working since they were 16 or 17 yet they have to stay at work at 65. There is the transitionary pension payment but, of course, that is paid at a lower rate and it is also means tested. If a person has a spouse who has a higher income, they might only get a portion of that or they might not get it at all, despite the fact they might have more than adequate stamps.

The detail of the current situation is not so much to the point I am trying to make, but the Minister herself said she recognises there is a need to look at the situation of people who are 65 and to look at the current payment. The Minister also said she does not particularly want reports in legislation and that is not my objective either, but for Opposition Deputies, putting forward amendments that impose a charge on the Exchequer is impossible. We need to move to this position. We need to support those who wish to keep working longer and incentivise them to do so, if possible, but there are many people in society who cannot continue to work to 66, much less 67 or 68. They should have the right to retire on a pension at 65 and that is what this amendment is seeking.