Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

This will bring the old age contributory pension to €193.30 per week, which means we will be well on the way to achieving the programme for government commitment to increase the State pension to €200 per week by 2007. We are increasing non-contributory pensions by €16 per week, an increase of 9.6% bringing the maximum rate to €182 per week. We recognise that many non-contributory pensioners want to work beyond retirement age but the means test system stops them doing so. We intend changing the non-contributory pension system so that earnings from employment up to €100 per week——

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