Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. Let us be honest. The Government has kicked the issue of the pension age down the road. It became such a hot potato during the February election that neither Fine Gael nor its coalition partners could handle it.

Fianna Fáil flip-flopped on increasing the pension age to 67, while Fine Gael, as we heard a few moments ago, wanted to cobble together an idea for an early retirement allowance, which would have hit people in the pocket by up to €2,000 a year. There was no consensus from the Government. What Sinn Féin wanted to do was reduce the pension age back to 65 so that people who have worked for their entire lives can retire with the dignity they deserve. That is without the indignity of having to sign on for jobseeker's allowance for a year prior to going on the State pension or being forced into job activation measures.

When will the review be complete? Will the Government consider bringing back the State pension age to 65?

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