Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

All workers, self-employed and PAYE, who join the jobs market at 18, 19 or 22 years of age must participate and be accounted for in the overall context of how we will deal with pensions as a society over the next 30 or 40 years. As we know, the starting age is increasing while the retirement age is decreasing, which means we are being squeezed at both ends of the scale.

We are fortunate that this window, albeit short, to deal with this is available to us, unlike the UK, Germany and other countries where the demographics have changed significantly to the rates we have. We have six people working to support each pensioner, but within 40 years that will change to almost one to one. Those entering the jobs market now will be in that position in 40 years' time.

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