Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I wish again to raise the issue of the State raising funds through the sale of national solidarity bonds in the hope that we might get another opportunity to debate it. The conditions attaching to these bonds are quite restrictive. In that context, I ask the Minister for Finance and his Department - this matter was raised with the Minister at our special meeting with him yesterday - that the terms and interest rate relating to these bonds be improved and that the term of investment be reduced to a minimum of three years rather than five. There is some €100 billion in savings in the State, which is currently obtaining €250 million from the national solidarity bond initiative. That initiative was first put forward in this House. Deputies and Senators should promote national solidarity bonds by making application forms available at their clinics and by distributing as much information as possible in respect of these bonds. In addition, the national solidarity bond scheme should be extended to the Irish abroad, as happened on previous occasions. Given that some 40 million people in the United States of America claim direct links with Ireland, there would be great potential for selling these bonds abroad.

I request that the Minister for Social Protection advertise the fact that the thousands of Irish people who worked in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s are - in light of the national insurance contributions they paid - entitled to pensions from that jurisdiction. I have brought this matter to the attention of people and have received a response. I am aware of a number of individuals who applied for and have been given quite generous by the United Kingdom authorities. We provided very good pensions to those in Britain who had pre-1953 contributions in this jurisdiction, and rightly so. This matter should be highlighted to the widest possible extent and the Minister for Social Protection should place advertisements relating to it in all local newspapers.