Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is Government business that the Seanad should deal with the matter on today's Order Paper but we have a fundamental objection to the proposal to deal with Committee Stage of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill on Thursday. That is very wrong. This is serious legislation that will have a lasting impact on tens of thousands of pensioners and there is a deliberate attempt by the Government to hush it up and ram the legislation through the Seanad at the earliest possible time. I have been contacted by a number of pensioners’ organisations and pensioners themselves who are very concerned about the Bill. They feel this possible major change to the pension structure of many older people and future pensioners is being hidden by the Government.

Unless the Leader can give a commitment in that regard we will oppose the Order of Business and we would also oppose any motion this evening to have Committee Stage on Thursday. That would be a retrograde step. I acknowledge that the Leader has been most co-operative on such matters in recent weeks. We are most grateful for that on this side. I am particularly grateful for the acknowledgement last week by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform of the referendum result and for accepting amendments to legislation concerning the Seanad. I am most grateful to him in that regard and for the co-operation of the Government side. It would be an injustice to the people who voted to save the Seanad to allow such a major piece of legislation as the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill to be railroaded through the Seanad this week. I urge the Leader to reflect on that. I ask him in a co-operative way but we will have to oppose the Order of Business and any further motions on the matter this evening.

I briefly wish to allude to another matter, I will not say too much about it, namely, the notorious Rodolphus Allen trust. I raised the matter in the Seanad last July. I described it as a scam and I encouraged people not to get involved. I reported it to the Garda. I am pleased to see action has been taken at last and some of those involved have been arrested and are before the courts. I repeat my warning to people about such scams. They should not deal with them but they should contact appropriate advisers, banks and organisations that deal with people in mortgage difficulties.

I would appreciate the Leader’s co-operation on the Order of Business. I know he is sympathetic but I realise the pressure he is under from the Government on the legislation.