Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

-----re-elected in the next election and, if there is an election in close proximity thereafter, lose their seats, their pensions for ever more will be substantially reduced until the day they die and so will the pensions of any widow or widower who survives them. I do not believe anyone in the public or private sector would agree to that type of provision. I am not making a complaint for myself as fortuitously I have income from other sources. However, other Members of this House do not have incomes from other sources and in respect of whom this provision will have a very substantial impact. We should not have within our legislation a provision designed to discourage people from standing for democratic election in the future. That is entirely wrong.

See this speech in context