Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

It is a question of rushing through provisions. The Minister can check, as I am certain that I am correct. There will be a large gap. If he or she dies, what will happen to the surviving spouse and children? Who will look after them? As Chief Whips have dealings with many people, I knew plenty of widows who were on the verge of starvation because their husbands served as Deputies. They were left with minuscule pensions and were too proud to seek other assistance. These are facts.

There is a notion that public representatives are ripping off the system and getting paid plenty. That is not true. I am interested in the truth and the facts, which clearly show that the maximum pension a widow or widower can get under the new system is €25,000 per year. The maximum salary will be €100,000. If one serves 20 or more years, one can get 50% of that amount as a pension, but a widow or widower can get only 50% of that €50,000. Therefore, the maximum pension that a widow or widower can get is €25,000.

Since we are assuming that people will be full-time public representatives, no other income or pensions will go to the widows or widowers. Those who lose their seats at 50 or 55 years of age cannot claim jobseekers' benefit.

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