Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I welcome the requests for a debate on pension entitlements. I also welcome the decision on the part of former Ministers and Ministers of State to relinquish their pensions. However, if they think this is going to go down well with the public, they should realise that their action came far too late. The Minister for Finance should write to Mr. Joe Duffy and some of his colleagues in RTE to commend them on the work they are doing. RTE has saved taxpayers a fortune - hundreds of thousands of euro - by asking the difficult questions people in my party and others have been posing for many years. Such questions were avoided by politicians from all parties who were of the view that it was right that they should continue to draw ministerial pensions while continuing to be Members of the Oireachtas.