Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join with the Taoiseach and all of the House in our expressions of sympathy to and solidarity with the families and loved ones of Clare O'Neill, Michael Pyke and Fintan Goss. I also recognise the enormous efforts of our emergency services, our first responders, those organisations that deal with the homeless, ESB crews, public transport teams, people working in the health services and everybody who pulled together in the course of this weather event to keep us all safe. I also acknowledge communities the length and breadth of the land which will never lose their capacity to care about their neighbours and to keep an eye where necessary.

I want to return to the issue of the unfair changes that were made to the eligibility for the State pension. The changes were made and the consequences were known at the time to the Government.

It was well understood that they would have a disproportionate impact on women. Tens of thousands of women in the State are now affected and they are prevented from receiving their full entitlements. Many are losing out to the tune of €30 per week.

The National Women's Council, Age Action Ireland and the ICA have all called for a reversal of these changes. Indeed, the Taoiseach's own Minister for Finance described the situation as "bonkers and unbelievable" but it seems it was not bonkers enough to be addressed in his recent budget. In our budget, Sinn Féin did provide for this reversal. It would cost the Exchequer €70 million but the Government chose to ignore this proposal. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil voted against a Sinn Féin motion in the Dáil last December that called for the 2012 changes to be reversed and for a remedy to be implemented. The Taoiseach, therefore, has had two significant opportunities in the past ten months to demonstrate he is on the side of these women, and he has reneged on both, leaving the women high and dry.

It seems that something happened at the weekend for the Soldiers of Destiny - not an epiphany or genuine realisation that they were wrong on this matter. Put simply, what happened was that the issue hit the headlines. Along came the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis and, lo and behold, despite passing on every opportunity to right the wrong, Fianna Fáil announced a change it its position.

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