David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 15:

In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

"1.—The Minister for Social and Family Affairs shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the level of work force participation and improvement of in-work employment supports for people of pensionable age.".

This amendment concerns pensioners continuing to work. It suggests the Minister prepare a report on the level of work force participation and improvement of in-work employment supports for people of pensionable age. The means disregard for non-contributory pensioners was increased from €20 to €30 per week and the income disregard for earnings from insurable employment was increased from €100 to €200, which will come into effect in September 2007. Perhaps the raising of the income threshold will do more to encourage take-up of this disregard, as it has been applied to the pensions of only 398 of the 97,411 non-contributory pensioners, some 0.4%. Will the Minister comment in this regard?

The Minister has stated many times that he wishes to encourage more people of pension age who wish to work to do so. The income disregard alone has not done anything to improve the situation. Perhaps underlying reasons need to be investigated. I have heard many people of pension age complaining of ageism by employers, which accounts for 12.5% of the cases of the Equality Authority of Ireland and the Government should take more action to combat this form of discrimination. Employment and in-work supports and education and training options for older people need to be addressed to improve the employment prospects of older people.

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