Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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That is exactly why I am taking such care in committing to a purely contributory system. It is exactly for the kind of risk the Deputy has identified, of which I am well aware. I believe we have an opportunity to put in place a structure that allows it to be clearer to citizens how we can pay for the maintenance of existing benefits and, hopefully, the creation and expansion of new ones in the future. The other issue is that when people look at their wage bill, we have three different ways of collecting income from people at the moment. I want to identify whether there is a simpler way of doing that while at the same time linking it to the maintenance of benefits in the future and the creation and expansion of new ones.

To go back to a point the Deputy made earlier about the changing demographics, there will be significant changes in people's working lives, when they go into education and when they go back to work, as well as the frequency at which all that happens. I want to see if we can better cater for these changes in the future.