John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure if the Minister actually read Sinn Féin's pre-budget submission. While we did not have any loose change at the end of it, we did put forward specific measures to address this serious problem which affects more than 35,000 older people. Our submission proposed reversing the changes that were introduced in 2012. That is a specific measure that could be implemented straight away, rather than kicking this issue down the road further, in terms of carrying out public consultation and so forth. A public consultation process is of no consolation to those affected. What they want is the pension payments to which they would have been entitled prior to these changes being implemented in 2012.

The Social Welfare Bill gives an ideal opportunity to address this discrimination. I put it to Fianna Fáil, which brought forward a nearly identical motion to the Sinn Féin one that was brought forward in December, that now is the opportunity to put its money where its mouth is. It is not good enough bringing forward these motions. If this is not addressed in the Bill by the Minister, I will be putting forward amendments. I hope Fianna Fáil will support those amendments to bring about the end of this discrimination, rather than kicking it further and further down the road and increasing the number of older people affected, which is currently 35,000.

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