Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Ronán Mullen.

I refer to what was said by Senator Colm Burke and the need to improve, enhance and empower local government. There are many fine exponents within the local government system who are hard-working councillors. With regret, I join Senator Darragh O'Brien in commiserating with the family of Councillor Gary Wyse who epitomised everything that was best about public representatives. I was with the Leader when he received word at lunchtime yesterday of his very sad passing and the thoughts of everyone were with his family. The respect people had for him as a councillor and the fact that Waterford city which needs champions has lost one of its most eminent and genuine public representatives make his death a cause for regret. He worked assiduously in the interests of the citizens of the city of Waterford by whom he will be missed, but more so by his family.

I agree with the comments of Senators Darragh O'Brien and Paul Bradford on health insurance. The haemorrhaging from the private health insurance market must be a worry. Most are leaving from the younger age groups up to 55 and 60 years. Out of necessity, the older age groups do not show a decline in numbers, but it has a consequence for the sustainability of the health insurance business. There is no underlying vision or philosophy behind taxation policy in this area. Of concern is the issue of pensions. Less than half of the population have pension provision and only a small proportion of women have private pension provision. There will be a major challenge in the area which policy should be underpinning. In fact, it is moving in the wrong direction. In the budget last year the Minister for Finance gave a clear commitment that the pension levy would be phased out in 2014, but now he has gone back on it.