Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I will probably use three minutes.

First, I commend the retired workers we met yesterday outside the gates of Leinster House. There was a whole plethora of workers from semi-State, State and the private sector. They gave their working lives, not only to their families and their companies, but to the State. These workers were well-organised, in the great spirit of the trade unionism. They were the people my parents grew up to admire and who stand shoulder to shoulder in the workplace. That is the spirit of trade unionism, of sticking with each other and of solidarity.

The substantial issue is that this is their money. They should have a say in a pension fund that is kept aside for the future date when they retire. Some of these workers do not get any State pension and are reliant on this occupational scheme for their income.

This Bill provides that they will be consulted in regard to any change. It seems democratic and simple, but that is obviously not the case. We have a situation where former Ministers get very handsome pensions. However, if there was a situation where their pensions went down or they were not consulted, they would be up in arms. Some of the pensions Ministers have gotten are absurd. It is quite sickening. Some of them are on €160,000 per year. Some of the pension payments Deputies get are unbelievable, while working people, who have worked for decades, are on a very ordinary pension. This Bill wants to change that.

The spirit of the Bill is in the great tradition of decent pay and conditions. It is for the future generation. There are people who do not think of their futures in terms of pensions. That is the key issue. This generation wants to look out for the next generation in the case of pensions, the provision of pensions and democratic control around their money. We have to think about this. It is their money that they have worked so hard for but they do not have a say. In the spirit of democracy, trade unionism and of workers sticking together, it is imperative this Bill goes through without the amendment.

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