Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House and suggest that he can forget about airport terminals and Aer Rianta as if he does this correctly it will be a lasting monument to him. He has the innovation, energy and ingenuity required to deal with it, as we all know that a Minister will never have a "one-size" solution to fit or please everybody. We are not yet demographically in a crisis situation but we will be, as many people will reach a certain age at the same time, so early planning is important.

I do not know enough about the Pensions Board to characterise it in a particular way but I have heard enough said in this House by people I regard as extremely able and trustworthy to believe that it is worthy of severe criticism. Senator Terry has made strong statements on that issue on several occasions.

The issue that most vexes people is that of people over 65 who wish to stay at work. I heard the Minister state clearly on television that it is entirely a matter of personal choice and that he will not lay out rules that a person must work. Senator O'Toole spoke on that earlier and stated that people do not want to go from full employment to no employment in one fell swoop. The availability of part-time work with pro rata payments might solve that. I made the point when I spoke on the pensions debate that there are many people who are alive, well, strong, in full possession of their mental faculties and well able to work beyond 65 years. Why should they not do so? It is quite amazing. Lloyd George introduced a state pension to commence at 70 when life expectancy was 60 years. Now one is not expected to die until 85.