Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

The Minister did not really answer the questions. Is it not the case that if we had a referendum on raising the State pension age, some would be in favour of it, as in Slovenia where 20% or so were in favour of it, and some would be against it, as in Slovenia where 72% were against it? Is it also not the case that if we had a referendum and people had a democratic say, we would get a similar result?

Given the physical nature of their jobs, manual workers are exhausted by the age of 65 and they would not wish to be forced to work longer. Can we have consultation on what is a very serious measure? Has the Minister costed this? If public sector workers, who will be paid at the top of the incremental scale, work longer, younger workers, who will come in at the lower end of the incremental scale, will not be coming in. Will it not cost the State money to force public sector workers to work longer?

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