Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I resent that remark in referring to fraud and scams in respect of the woman in question. She is now part of what is called the scam book, about which the Taoiseach was talking, which gives the Minister for Social Protection her reason to have random checks. The facts of the matter are very straightforward. This is a 79 year old woman who spoke to them on the telephone. She was asked whether she had remarried and whether her name was still in the name of her husband. It was obvious that she was still alive and that the box should simply have been ticked to the effect that she was who she had said with was with regard to her pension. However, this was not done; the pension was cut off on Friday and now she has no money. This pertains to a pension of €230 and a fuel allowance of €20. This should never have happened and it never should have been necessary to raise the matter in the Dáil. Moreover, the Taoiseach still standing over the culture of ex-politicians in the Dáil who still are getting these massive "we are worth it" pensions, with the others. Why does he not introduce a special public sector pension tax on their super pensions? Easy. The universal social charge was brought in and if the Government was willing to do this, it would be tackling these pensions, but it will not. Were it to do so, it would not be taking on people's contracts but would be introducing a tax to deal with the issue. I seek the immediate reinstatement of the pension of the woman concerned, followed by an examination of the issue. At least then the matter could be resolved because this is a genuine case that should never have happened.

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