David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister, maybe not now but later on, tell me how much has been clawed back in the past two or three years from people and estates? Would the Minister agree with me that it would be a good idea to remind people, on a regular basis, that if the amount in their account goes over a certain level, it will have an impact on their pension? Maybe they should be spending it and enjoying themselves, rather than, as the Minister said, living out of a tin or living on bread and tea. Older people can be quite frugal and really worry about the future of money. They do not realise if they save this up, it will be clawed back. It can cause angst among relatives afterwards. They come to our offices to give out about the Government robbing the dead, which is a term that is very often used. I suggest an information campaign to the Minister, to let people know they should enjoy themselves, spend this money and not oversave. I have come across one person who had €120,000 saved. The family never knew it. The money was going right into the bank and she was spending nothing. They were supporting her and never knew it was happening.

See this speech in context