Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The private pension levy is already causing severe hardship for pensioners and will have a major effect on pensioners in the future. The pensioners from Tara Mines who protested outside the gates recently outlined the effect this measure would have on them. As a former Minister for Social Protection, I am aware that pensions were already under pressure owing to the global downturn. The Government, against the advice of the Pensions Board and officials in the Departments of Social Protection and Finance, has added to the pressure on pensioners. Its excuse for introducing the pension levy was that it would be used to create jobs. However, it was confirmed by the Minister for Finance yesterday that only slightly more than half of the money collected by the pension levy this year would be used for job creation purposes. I have a simple question for the Tánaiste. Will the Government introduce legislation to refund to pensioners the money taken from them by the Government under false pretences?

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