Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I thank the Acting Chairman for this opportunity to record my view and that of my party on this matter. We disagree with this motion because we believe the Government is not serious about tackling the issue of pensions. It hopes the individual will provide for his or her own pension, saving the State from dealing with this crisis. It is just another example of an abdication of responsibility from this Fianna Fáil-led Administration.

The truth can be seen in the Government's plan to cut the rates of PRSI — a pre-election promise — which contribute directly to the fund from which State pensions are sourced at a time when we are bombarded with information about the pension crisis. Members will note that the Government has failed to seize the opportunity to increase the rate of revenue going into the social insurance fund by eradicating the ceiling on PRSI over certain income levels. The current system sees those in the lower end of the payscale pay disproportionately more into the fund.

There are proposals and I agree with the previous speakers that there is a time when the talking must end and the action must begin. We want to see a basic non-means tested pension for all people above a certain age, a second tier of pensions related to social insurance contribution, reform of the PRSI system by removing the employee PRSI ceiling, insisting that the defined benefit schemes are fully retained and a significant curtailment of the tax incentives for occupational pensions.