Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 14, after line 35, to insert the following: “Report on appropriate State pension age

23. The Minister shall conduct research, including examining pension ages across the European Union, engage with key stakeholders, including trade unions and make recommendations and report on all aspects of the most appropriate age at which a person should become entitled to receive the State pension and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection within 6 months of the enactment of this Act.”.

The amendment arises from on an amendment tabled by my colleague, Deputy Brady, on Committee Stage. The Minister was concerned about the cost associated with public consultation and, as such, we have made changes to the amendment as agreed with the Minister. We cannot dismiss engagement with stakeholders, particularly trade unions, as to so do would mean that their important views would be lost to any report. Pension age is an important issue which we must get right. The Minister committed to accept the amendment once the requested change was made.

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