Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support the call by Senator Michael Mullins for a debate on pensions. The Minister for Social Protection said yesterday that she would like to impose a cap on tax relief for pensions in excess of ¤60,000 annually. That is a commitment in the programme of Government but I would like the debate to focus on charges given some pensions have fallen in value by 31%. I commend the Senator on raising the issue.

I refer to the children's referendum about which there has been little debate in the media. An all-party Oireachtas event had to be cancelled because of the McKenna judgment. We all value democracy but we also value common sense or, as Senator Barrett said regarding another sphere, conventional wisdom. I commend the ICA and many other voluntary groups on coming out in favour of the referendum but the media seem to be neglecting the campaign. What is their duty in providing informed academic discussion and information to the public in general? The referendum is news. The Irish Times MRBI poll showed there is conventional wisdom in the country but people like to hear this reported in the media. Common sense has gone out the window and I would like to have a debate on common sense, conventional wisdom and the McKenna judgment. While we want to protect it, we have to use common sense as well.