Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleagues, Teachtaí O'Reilly and Kerrane, for bringing this motion to the House. In 2011 in their first year in coalition Government, Fine Gael and the Labour Party legislated for the phased increase in the age at which people could access the State pension. The age was increased to 66 years from 2014. It was planned to rise to 67 years from 1 January 2021 and to 68 years from 1 January 2028. This cannot be allowed to happen. We now have a Pauline conversion by the Labour Party, which seems to be opposed to the Government policy that it was happy to implement in 2011.

The 30,000 people who have reached 65 years of age this year must now apply for jobseeker's benefit before they can access the State pension. This is a payment available to people who are unemployed but have a consistent PRSI record. I have been assisting many people in recent months whose work record pre-1979 is incomplete through no fault of their own. This needs to be addressed urgently. To qualify for jobseeker's benefit, a person must be capable of work, available for work and genuinely seeking work. This is now what most people retiring are expected to have to do. If people wish to work, even part-time, while in receipt of the pension, they are allowed. With jobseeker's benefit, this is not an option. The maximum weekly payment under jobseeker's benefit is €203. That only lasts for nine months. After that, the payment is means-tested and with the State pension a person can receive up to €248 per week. The difference between jobseeker's benefit and the State pension is €45 per week or more than €2,300 per year. By not being able to access the State pension, a retiree is losing almost one fifth of the income he or she could expect to get. This is a great deal of money when a person is 65 years and struggling to make ends meet.

If a person retiring has an adult dependant, it gets worse. The maximum allowed for a dependant under jobseeker's benefit is €134. With the State pension it is €165. That rises to €222 if the dependant is 66 years of age or over.

Many people have worked all their lives without needing to rely on welfare. They do not see why they should be forced onto the dole and, frankly, I do not either since they have paid PRSI all their lives. I appeal to all Deputies to support this motion so that our older people can get what they deserve when they retire.

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