Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As a former member of Government, Deputy Howlin realises the enormous issue facing society because we are living longer, which is a good thing. In the last 50 years, the transformation of health has been extraordinary. In the last 100 years the average life span has increased by 25 years in this country, which is quite a dramatic transformation from when the State was founded. In the last 20 years in particular, survival rates from heart disease, cancer and stroke have been dramatically transformed. It is a good story that we are living longer but it clearly has implications for pensions and for how we sustain society in the context of longer lives, thanks be to God, and greater access to healthcare, interventions and so on. That was the work of the Commission on Pensions which was established and the Cabinet committee referred its report to the Oireachtas, which is what was agreed. The Oireachtas has now considered it and made its report.

The Commission on Taxation and Welfare is also relevant. The findings of the Commission on Pensions will also be examined by the Commission on Taxation and Welfare because it is all interrelated in terms of how we sustain the system. I have not read the cross-party committee's report in detail but look forward to doing so. I think Deputy Howlin said that it is suggesting PRSI increases. That is interesting.

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