Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I had hoped the Taoiseach might once look objectively at a serious proposal in changed circumstances, rather than always trying to be so partisan. We have come a long way since dire decisions were made under the troika's direction. The Taoiseach knows that; he is not a fool.

However, there are real issues that require to be addressed, one of which is whether this is the time to at least defer the decision in line with that made in other countries in Europe because of our demographics and people are coming on stream who will have to sign on after working for 50 years to receive a social welfare payment, not a retirement payment. That does not make sense.

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