Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding pensions, I join colleagues in calling for a debate. I would like a wider debate because there is a problem with the amount being paid into pensions and a cap is an idea that must be entertained. My generation has a real problem with pensions because so many people are in negative equity. Paying money into a pension fund is not a priority and it is easy to kick it down the road. That applies to individuals and also to the Government in the sense that it will not be a problem for a number of years. We need to be planning for it now and we could usefully debate the matter in the House.

With regard to future planning, I join Senator Burke in his comments on the children's hospital. Some 50 years ago, we did not know that the Baggot Street and Adelaide hospitals would not be of the requisite size. Space and planning must be considered. I am not trying to influence the decision but it is a sensible suggestion that the Minister for Health comes to the Chamber to explain how the decision was arrived at.