Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak this evening. I will look at it from a different perspective - from the perspective of the older person. Some 135,000 Irish residents living here are in receipt of a British pension and approximately 35,000 people living in Britain are in receipt of an Irish pension. My main reason for my seeking speaking time this evening was to get clarity and reassurance that nothing will change for those people.

Over recent months in the lead-up to where we are now most of the conversation has been about trade and agriculture. However, there are also social aspects. We need clarification that nothing will change for old age pensioners dependent on the pension coming in. Based on the response to a question by Deputy O'Dea in November, I am aware that the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, was carrying out a systematic review in her Department. Is that review complete? What impact will Brexit have on pension payments? Pensioners want to know if their pension payments will reach their bank accounts on the last Friday of the month or if they will be delayed during the transition period.

They are seeking reassurance on this and their questions are fair. They know the exchange rates will be affected when Britain leaves the EU but they want reassurance that they will receive their pension payments on time. Any clarification or reassurance the Tánaiste can give in that regard would be most welcome. The people to whom I refer are living in all parts of the country and they or their adult children are contacting Deputies seeking clarity on this matter.

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