Dáil debates
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
State Pensions Reform
10:35 am
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
I acknowledge that the reviews are proceeding apace. On 4 April last, I tabled a question to the Minister for written reply. At that stage, just 13,000 cases had been reviewed and 75% of reviews had resulted in increased pension payments. It appears now that slightly fewer than half of the reviews conducted to date have resulted in increased pension payments. Given that this system was introduced to rectify discrimination against people who were born after a certain date in 1946, as opposed to people who were born before that date, does the Minister think it is acceptable that just half of the people who fall into the former category have benefitted? We proposed a simple reversal of the 2012 situation. This would have cost the same amount and everybody would have benefited.
Monica Condron
Posted on 1 Jun 2019 10:08 am (Report this comment)
Thanks Willie O'Dea for asking the question that should have been asked long ago by any TD with an interest in justice for pensioners affected by the 2012 Budget pension changes. It was obvious to anyone capable of a few calculations that Minister Doherty's fix to the Budget 2012 anomalies was not going to solve this problem for everyone. It did however help post 2012 pensioners with the backdating problems of the 1994 homemakers scheme and for those affected it will result in increased pensions. Unfortunately I am still one of the 50% who will not be getting a full pension because I have no caring contributions to claim. I may get around €5 extra but I am still waiting on my pension review outcome. Fianna Fáil can show how much they care about the 50% still on reduced pensions because of the 2012 changes by making it an issue in the next election.