Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

——who has sadly passed away. He contributed significantly to demystifying issues surrounding mental health in this country. As a society we are indebted to the work he did.

The Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007 is before the House today. This Bill was passed in the Dáil last week and allows for a pension for the former Minister, Deputy Michael Woods, to be backdated. I raise the issue because it has come to my attention that a senior garda has also sought to have his pension backdated.

Given legislation has now been introduced to look after a former Minister, I ask the Leader to raise with the Minister for Finance the possibility of examining a situation which affects many pensioners in this country. The website of the Department of Social and Family Affairs states that if one applies late for a pension, it may not be backdated, even by six months, as the decision is discretionary. It would be appropriate for a protocol or directive to be introduced to allow some discretion so that people who have worked hard for this country and, for whatever reason, are late in applying for a pension, will have the opportunity to do so. We should not have rules for former Ministers different from those which apply to every other person who has worked diligently for the benefit of this country. I ask the Leader to bring the issue to Government and advise as to the response. Every Member of this House has had a case brought to his or her attention where people were not able to get their pension.