Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

This is an important amendment. I have listened carefully to what the Minister of State said and can only hope that this whole scenario has prompted the Government to act with alacrity in putting in place appropriate guidelines in regard to severance payments, pension entitlements and so on as part of what the Minister of State referred to as a "new and comprehensive pensions framework". My amendment would be a useful element of that reform. The sooner such reform is implemented the better, hopefully early in the new year, so that a debacle of this nature cannot recur. Ordinary people are suffering while others seem to be operating in a cocoon, apparently unaware of that widespread suffering. In fairness, that does not apply to the Minister of State, who I am sure understands the thrust of the amendment.

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