Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This year, during the election, I met a man who told me that he had his first job when he was 14 years old. After working for 51 years, the Government put him on the dole, or the exchange as he called it. After 51 years of work, that was what the Government did to him. He was angry. He said the lack of respect shown to him demonstrated that all his years of service, his work and his contribution to his family and the State were not appreciated.

When people reach the age of 65, they want the choice to be able to retire if they wish. After working all their lives, people should have the right to retire at 65. They should be shown the respect they deserve. It really goes to show how out-of-touch the last Government was and this Government is. The Government does not understand what it means to ordinary people to have that right to retire at 65. How dare the Government take that away from people after all their years. These people have contributed. They have worked hard, many of them in hard manual jobs. This shows the broken promises of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party after the election. It shows how, at the first opportunity, they turned their backs on the promises made. They are selling out workers' rights. There is no problem finding money for their pay increases, but when it comes to other people, workers and those who want to retire at 65 years, the money cannot be found.

I do not believe it is right for a person to have to join the dole queue at 65 years and I hope the Minister and the Government feel the same way. What they have created is an us-versus-them situation where cronyism and politics do not respect ordinary people and families. People came out and voted for change this year. They wanted change because they were sick and tired of watching out-of-touch politicians make decisions that hurt ordinary people and families. I wish to support my colleagues. We are asking that everyone should have the right to retire at 65.

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