Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I note Senator Quinn's suggestion that we do not press this recommendation, and I always do what he tells me to do. I also note the response of Senator O'Brien, who is an expert in the field, and I think it is important that the Government take what he says on board. I listened to the Minister of State's explanation and I look forward to reading it as well to fully get what he is saying. It is important to have that technical clarification.

I think there is an anomaly here. Is the Minister of State saying that if the Government were to change this, in theory, folks who take out a PRSA - generally lower-paid and part-time workers - could potentially get more benefit or tax relief than those who have occupational pensions? Is that the theory? I wonder if that will ultimately be the case in practice. The Minister of State's other argument is that if we were to change the USC in this way, having regard to this pension product, we would be on a slippery slope. What I heard was that we might then need to change the USC rules in relation to other products or in other ways and that we simply could not do that. I never accept slippery slope arguments, so I am not sure I am willing to accept this one. However, I need to study the Minister of State's response a little more carefully. Therefore, I am asking these questions for clarification and in order to understand the ultimate points of the two main things I think he was saying.