Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

Does the Minister accept that his recent comments, in which he failed to rule out the possibility of a cut in the State pension, have caused widespread anxiety and concern among pensioners across the country? Is he prepared to give an undertaking that he will not target pensioners for cuts again, given that several cuts impacted on pensioners last year? Is he prepared to give an undertaking that he will not interfere with the entitlement of people who have contributed to a contributory pension scheme throughout their working lives, and that he will not move to introduce means testing of that State pension, given that people have already made those contributions to qualify for that pension? Can he provide those assurances to the many pensioners who are really worried following his recent comments? Is he prepared to make that statement today? Does the Minister accept that when it comes to making savings in the pensions area, he is barking up the wrong tree? He should be targeting people at the high end of the private pensions industry, rather than those on State pensions.

See this speech in context