Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, to the House. I would like to pick up on the comments which were made by Senator Paddy Burke. The Fianna Fáil Senators are extremely concerned about the lack of pension opportunities for elected members of local authorities. It is absolutely wrong that such people are being deprived of the opportunity to avail of the provisions of the Local Government (Superannuation) Act 1980 and the 1998 local government superannuation consolidation scheme. All other employees of local authorities are availing of the systems which are in place, as they are entitled to do.

Although we are advocating pensions for all — one of the Government's policies is to encourage people to take out private pensions when State schemes are not available to them — councillors who are elected by the people to represent them are unable to participate in the schemes I have mentioned. Not all councillors would wish to avail of a pension scheme, but the option of contributing 5% of their representative allowance to a fund should be open to those who wish to do so. I know we will hear more about this because my colleagues on both sides of the House are very supportive of the case I am making. I know that Senator Burke——