Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The question that arises today is, when is a property right a property right? Why is it always the working class that pays? Why do we see the same fat cats always win?I am raising the issue of Independent News and Media, but I may well be talking about Aer Lingus, decent public servants who have seen the abatement of their pension schemes. Was it a property right when they got it? It seems other people can claim property rights are untouchable. But the property rights of the working classes are never untouchable. I hear today of people who are taking a 70% cut in their pension. Surely, the Oireachtas can do something, send in some inspector to see why shareholders are about to get a dividend after so many years when the poor old guy who built the company with his sweat and blood, the journalists who went out and tracked down the criminals of this country are being cut to the bone and are being left in their old age desolate and with nothing. Why can they do it? They can do it because they know the State will pick up the allowance if they are broke. They know the State will have to fund them in hospital if they are broke. This has gone beyond a joke. Since 2008, workers have been crucified and yet the same God-damned names keep appearing and they are making millions. They are making millions on the backs of the people. It has to stop. We have to do something about it. For the life of me I do not know what to do about it, other than to run them all out of the country. I do not suppose we can do that but we must do something. Perhaps we should have the Minister for Finance come to the House and have a debate on this matter. A pension right is a pension right and should not be touchable by anybody.