Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I support the Senator's point. These are the issues which show the weaknesses in the recommendations of the Commission on Public Service Pensions. It refused to take a creative approach to creating a stage between full-time employment and full-time retirement. The issue raised by Senator McDowell is another issue that should be dealt with. There is no reason that people should not have certain options. However, it raises new problems. At some stage somebody will have to tell an employee who wishes to remain working that he or she is not up to the job for some physical reason. Nevertheless, these problems can be dealt with. We should be seeking flexibility. The reason I first raised this issue 20 years ago was to try to create a grey area between full-time work and full-time retirement. That would save more money than the €300 million in today's terms which this legislation is expected to save.