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

I thank the Minister for his response, the work he is doing and his commitment to this. Would he agree that this is now urgent? For example, the number of people who were approved last year for the seagoing commitment scheme was 32, something the Secretary General of the Department of Defence told us last week. These schemes are extraordinarily complex, and hard to understand and qualify for.

Could the Minister give us an indication that he is minded to change the single pension scheme and revert to the pre-emergency payments that were in place, where people had a guarantee and commitment that they would have a good income? Could he give us an indication as to what is happening with the implementation of the working time directive and work-life balance which, I am sure he will agree, is important? I understand it at the very preliminary stages of discussion between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and his Department. Is there any imperative to drive that forward?

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