John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

As someone who qualified as a financial adviser and was qualified to sell pensions, I am aware that a pension amounts to deferred pay. That is the legal position. Even if we were to introduce legislation in the next term to prevent people from claiming their pension, I am certain it could be challenged. We can only hope those who have already given up their pension, if they are still Members of the House, will agree not to make a claim, but it is deferred pay which is the property of the person concerned. If I go for a walk in the countryside, through a farmer's land, and while on it someone puts up a "No Trespassing" sign, I cannot be sued for trespassing because the sign was not in place when I started the walk. In the same way, if a person has accrued a pension, it is his or hers. I hope all of the Members concerned are in a position to give up their pension. It would be welcomed because we are now much better paid. We are moving forward together on the issue.

I was disappointed with the suggestion made on the Order of Business which was incorrect and unfair that the Government was corruptly in cahoots with developers and builders. There was not even a question of this, not to mind somebody being brought in for questioning, charged or convicted. It was unseemly and what was said should not have been said in the House.