Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Leader of the House a happy birthday.

I agree with everything Senator Norris said this morning. We are the one workforce in the country that has no representation anywhere. They can change our terms and conditions of employment and we have nowhere to go, which brings me on to another issue. About two weeks ago there was a newspaper article about a very senior civil servant - I know I am not allowed use names so I will not - who was intending to move from one Department to another with a bump in his salary of €81,000. We were told it was €112 a pace as he walked from one Department to the other. How do we equate that with the issue of pension abatement, which is theft of a pension? Regarding pensions and pension rights, today's newspapers report former Members of this House who were found guilty of wrongdoing and were given their pensions.We were told a pension could not be touched because it was a property right. There are prisoners in Mountjoy Prison in respect of whom the Department of Social Protection tried to stop pension payments and the Supreme Court ruled a pension is a property right and cannot be touched.

We are in the crazy situation that the position of Captain of the Guard in the Houses of the Oireachtas has been advertised yet no retired member of the military or the Garda Síochána who might wish to apply for that position, as their predecessors did, will apply because of abatement while a retired member of the PSNI or a retired British soldier can apply for that position and, if successful at interview, will not only be paid a salary for the job but will retain his or her pension.

The Government needs to decide if abatement is legal. I believe it is not. If there is no proposal brought forward soon on this matter, I will take it to the High Court. I cannot do it on my own behalf, but I will do it for those who are currently suffering. I would like to know if the Leader agrees with me that abatement is theft of a property right.