Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, people will not be Ministers for 20 years. I do not think it happened in the past, but it will not happen in the future. It is understood accrual would be swifter and that has been the way ever since pensions were introduced. As I indicated, we have worked to reduce the amounts considerably. I do not know whether it is the view of the Deputy that there should be no pensions for Ministers because if there was a 20 year horizon, there would be no benefit at all in being a Minister in terms of pension rights, if he wanted to equate it with a Deputy's 20 year pension. We have imposed a significant reduction on anything which has gone before. It is a reasonable set of measures which is proportionate in terms of what is required. There are other public servants, people in academia and the Judiciary who have significant pensions - in some instances, fast accrual pensions - which are linked with and tailored to meet the specifics of their occupations.

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