Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The position was based on being consistent with the SFDR. There were proposals, which we did not support, to remove the entire financial sector. We will not support such proposals; they have not gone away.

The concern around pensions was that the cost would not be passed on to pensioners. That issue has been resolved. I met the coalition involved in this space a number of weeks ago. It was a good meeting that I found useful for my information purposes. I have met Mr. Barry Andrews, MEP, and will meet him again in Brussels this evening. He has led on this issue in the European Parliament.

I have consistently raised the gender issue and will continue to do so. As Senator Higgins knows, tomorrow is only about agreeing the general approach. The proposal will then go to the European Parliament as part of the trilogue process. My Department and I will continue to work with Senators and our MEPs to ensure that we get as strong a directive as possible. However, we must also be real about this. We are just one member state. We now have a path towards progress that was not even anticipated a number of weeks ago. We will continue to keep progressing and strengthening the proposal.