John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will not take lectures from the Minister as to who writes my speeches or dictates my policy. My party members dictate my party's policies. I question where the Minister gets his right-wing policies from. The simple fact of the matter is that since 2012, one third of new applicants for the State pension have received smaller pensions than they would have received had they retired prior to 2012. Last December Sinn Féin introduced a motion to address the issue. The Minister might remember that because he and his party opposed it. The motion called for a reversal in the band changes and for the widening gender pension gap to be tackled. It is quite obvious that the Minister does not wish to narrow the pension gap nor to see equality for women. He is quite happy to preside over the current system. His reply to my question alludes to that. Ultimately, the message coming from the Minister today and previously to the 36,000 older people in receipt of a greatly reduced pension is "tough". That is shameful. Perhaps the Minister would address that issue.

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