Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent Ireland Party) | Oireachtas source

I note that the Ceann Comhairle has asked people to stick to the topic, which I will. I will highlight a few issues. I support the Bill. I support any Bill that will allow a person to get his or her pension either before or at retirement age. The retirement age is now 66. I believe the Government should honour a person with an employment contract that was completed before the legislation changed the retirement age from 65 to 66, instead of asking him or her to sign on for social welfare or go on his or her stamps if he or she has worked all his or her life.

I am one of 11 children. My father was 59 years older than me. I look at the health of different people in various age groups. I remember asking my father to race me when I was 11. He was 70 and said "sure come on so". He beat me down the road as if I was not even there. He was either very fast or I was very slow. He lived to the age of 98.

Bus Éireann drivers can drive up to the age of 70 but cannot drive after that. Yet, they can drop children to a school. Their brother, sister or friend at the age of 71, 72 or 75 can pull up in the same size bus, pick up the students, take them to the Oireachtas in Dublin and take them home. If someone is fit enough to work and wants to work, we should permit a yearly health certificate from his or her doctor or consultant to allow him or her to do that job, which we need at the moment. A lot of people before retirement age are not fit to go to work or drive but there are people who are fit to do these things after retirement age and I ask that this be facilitated.

I will finish up. When the Ceann Comhairle was on this side of the House, she was very good at changing the subject. I would like to remind her on the record that she was very good at doing it.

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