Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has attributed much to me that I did not say. What I did say is that future policy in regard to the linkages between public service pensions and pay will be dealt with by the Government in the context of negotiations we will have later this year. It is in recognition of the circumstances faced by the majority of pensioners that we implemented a faster reduction of the levy on pensions than we did in respect of the levy on salaries and wages. That was done in acknowledgment that pensioners do not have the opportunity to make up lost moneys by way of other incomes. I agree with the Deputy that while higher levels of public pensions do attract a degree of public focus and scrutiny, the reality is that large numbers of people who worked in the public service for many decades are in receipt of a pension many layers lower than that.

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