Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If we did that, it would cost another €355 million a year. It is going to be difficult to pay for it; that is the point. It is important to point out that when the old transition pension was there, many people did not qualify for it anyway because they needed a lot more contributions for it compared with the State pension. In fact, the old transition pension was not available for self-employed workers, which means many manual workers would not have got it.

I take the point that in the case of somebody who has a long work history and who is genuinely not able to work, we should try to do something for them. I am looking at it. However, it would mean that whatever I come up with, I will have to bring proposals back to Cabinet on it, and there is no doubt about that. I understand the position, particularly for the brickie who is not fit at 64 or 65 to haul bricks around. I know there are all kinds of new systems and so on, but it is still bloody hard work and that is the bottom line.

I said I would look at it and I will do so. On the basis that we have the Pensions Commission report, I do not propose to accept this amendment.