Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government has indicated to us that it will not vote against the motion if its amendment is defeated. Obviously, it does not want to vote against the motion because to do so would be to vote to perpetuate the current system. However, it strikes me as odd that the Government is prepared to vote for its own amendment which would continue for an indefinite period the amount of time taken up by examining, analysing and reporting, etc. The former Tánaiste, Deputy Joan Burton, who introduced this approach has repudiated it. The Taoiseach has accepted that it is unfair and anomalous. The Minister for Finance has described it as "bonkers and unbelievable". He says it was wrong then and that it is wrong now.

I want to make it clear to the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, that we are not insisting on the Government conjuring up hundreds of millions of euro to go right back to 2012. The question of compensation can be dealt with on a phased basis. We are asking the Minister to begin immediately the process of removing the discriminatory provision that affects people who were born after 1 September 1946. We want a start to be made. The Government's amendment refers to an "analysis" and a "report" and states the Government will "examine means of addressing this anomaly", but it does not set out a timescale for all of this. Within what timescale is the Minister talking about all of these wonderful things happening? I presume they will happen with the assistance of Age Action Ireland's report. When will measures start to be put in place to rectify the situation for the people whose cause we are pleading? Justice delayed is justice denied. How long are people expected to continue to endure this injustice? It has been ongoing for week after week, month after month and perhaps year after year. The time for prevarication has passed and the time for action is now. We expect action now. I am asking the Minister to set out a definitive timescale within which she will start the process of this reform.

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