Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I would like to thank the Leader for a couple of things. The debate yesterday on Seanad reform was very useful. The CPP in the House has met Members of all parties and we all share a desire to move swiftly with reforms in the House. I would like to ask the Leader about the progress made on the CPP with the formation of the Seanad petitions committee. This will be an important step for the House because it will enable Members and parties to call in people from outside the House, including parliamentarians from other jurisdictions and experts in certain fields.

I was pleased to hear that the Minister for Health is to attend the House on 7 July. That is important and the Government must be commended for the number of Ministers who have given their time to this House. The discussion on health will be important. How much time is being given to this debate?

We had a good debate last week on the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 and the Leader provided extra time for it, which was welcome. Yesterday's Irish Examiner contained a story that 75% of defined benefit pension schemes are in deficit, and that the Pensions Board has warned the Minister for Social Protection on the unhealthy state of three quarters of these schemes. In response to the report, the Minister stated that the Government is committed to reforming the pensions system to ensure its sustainability. I am glad to hear that. The Minister and the Government took a major step in reforming the pensions industry and private pension schemes but not for the better.

The Government has not published any of the written correspondence or written advice given to it prior to the introduction of the pensions levy. It is a substantial levy that will raise €450 million per year over four years. The Taoiseach was asked a number of times to publish the documentation, and this has been standard practice for the last ten or 15 years. It was mentioned in the House that the same Minister for Social Protection wrote to the Taoiseach expressing her concerns that the levy could have a very negative impact on pensions and pension provision. I agree with the Minister on that.

It is interesting to hear her say that the Government is committed to reforming the pensions sector. It has reformed it, but it has not done so in a way that will assist pension provision. Then it transpires that officials from the Department of Finance warned the Taoiseach that the policy the Government was considering could seriously undermine the pensions sector. Why has the Government moved away from the normal practice over the last ten or 15 years of publishing advice? They have not yet published the advice and the Taoiseach refuses to do so. The only reason these matters have come to light is based on freedom of information requests. That is a serious departure from normal parliamentary procedure. We discussed this last week in respect of statements being made outside this House and initiatives presented to the media rather than the Oireachtas. When will the Taoiseach publish the supporting documentation and the advice he was given prior to the introduction of the 0.6% pension levy? With 75% of defined benefit schemes badly underfunded, is the Government concerned that many of these schemes will be wound up and made insolvent? Those with an expectation of pensions in retirement will find their pension schemes wiped out. This will be the straw that breaks the camel's back.