Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I missed some of the presentations. If I ask a question that has already been answered, a brief answer will suffice.

The Chair will agree that means-testing frightens a lot of people. That is what I find from clinics. Ms Loughran mentioned that people have put money away for funerals and such. That issue comes up regularly. I will put a few questions to Mr. Moynihan about Alone's perspective and if there is time, I do not mind if others come in.

We have commitments from the Government on benchmarking of the State pensions. Where are we with those commitments? Has Alone been given that information?

With respect to the work Alone does, does the complexity of means-testing have a bigger impact on older people, in its experience? Mr. Moynihan will know where I am coming from with that question. The whole process has probably been discussed already. How can we make it more straightforward for people? How can we remove this element of fear and worry that comes into people's lives when they are told they will be means-tested? They get quite upset about it.