Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

To quote Mao Tse-Tung, the journey of 1,000 miles starts with the first step. This first step could be useful. I accept the Minister's good faith in presenting it.

This is a complex issue and there are major questions of equal treatment for those who have defined benefits as we do, those who have had tax relief on large incomes over a long time and have accumulated significant funds subsidised by the taxpayer and those who cannot afford to put anything by and get nothing from anyone other than the State pension.

We can do something now as a first step.

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