Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We can close the gap for them. The Taoiseach is correct that there was a much higher retirement age in the 1970s. It was Brendan Corish and Frank Cluskey who reduced it. It is time to reflect again on these issues. We looked objectively, for example, at including the self-employed in the system of social benefits. Their contribution to the Social Insurance Fund is a fraction of that of the employed, but it was a justice issue. We did not say that as it would deplete the Social Insurance Fund, let us not do it. I ask the Taoiseach, rather than dismissing my request, to objectively consider it, at least for the next five years, to allow gradual preparation to face a later retirement age.

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