Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Let me say very directly to the Taoiseach that he is in no position to make arguments to working people about the sustainability of very modest pension payments for them when, at the same time, the gold-plated pensions that the Taoiseach and his predecessors enjoy are not to be touched. There is a central hypocrisy in his approach - big pensions for the big boys and crumbs for working people. It is a mark of decency in any affluent society - in any civilised society actually - that working people have the right to retire with their pension at the age of 65 years. These are people who have worked long and hard in manual labour, retail and as carers. I could go on and on. Yet, rather than addressing that issue and leading from the front as Dublin and the sovereign Government here ought to, the Taoiseach dodges and prevaricates.

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