Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There seems to be a lot of confusion and some degree of incoherence in respect of what the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, described as the bonkers situation of the outstanding pension anomalies whereby 42,000 people lose as much as €1,500 a year as a result of changes that were made back in 2012. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, informed a meeting of the Select Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection - at which she was discussing the forthcoming social welfare Bill - that she recognises the problem and wants to fix it. She said it would be fixed in the short term and that she is going to bring proposals forward fairly quickly. She said she is busy preparing a memorandum for Cabinet. Today, it is reported that she is being forced to perform a U-turn. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, might well smile but that is what is being said. It is reported that there will not be any attempt to resolve this matter in the short term. In the context of the social welfare Bill, can the Taoiseach confirm whether the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, will be bringing proposals before the House in the context of resolving this issue and beginning the reversal of the policy initiative that took place in 2012 under her predecessor, Deputy Burton?

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