Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I spoke on this Bill during Second Stage at the beginning of November. Notwithstanding the optional interim measures which the Minister mentioned, there was an expectation arising out of his comments on this issue that it would be passed long before the proposals that are pending Committee Stage. Deputy Heydon mentioned impending birthdays but many birthdays have come and gone and many people were forced to retire in the interim since the Bill was announced. Many of these people did not wish to retire but were not given the option. Is it possible to bring forward amendments that would be retrospective to when the interim measure was announced which would provide for those who did not have the option of availing of the interim measure?

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