John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)

I welcome particular aspects of the Bill. I accept that certain reforms to public service pensions are crucial if those pensions are to be made sustainable and affordable in the long term and if there is to be fairness for public servants and taxpayers. Such reforms must be framed in light of the fiscal challenges ahead. It must be acknowledged that public servants have already made a substantial contribution to the necessary reduction in public expenditure at a time when their numbers have been reduced as a result of the moratorium on recruitment, an incentivised early retirement scheme and career breaks.

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