Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Beannachtaí Lá Fhéile Bríde, a Chathaoirligh. I raise the issue of 44,000 pensioners who are due back pay. Most worked as nurses or in social care. There are some doctors as well and many carers. An increment of €500-odd was to be paid on 1 October 2021 and again in 2022, and there is another increment to be paid in February. In most of these pensions I would say there is a minimum of €1,500-plus, which is quite a considerable amount of money. Many of them could be up to €2,000 coming into February. The excuse that seems to be being given is there is some glitch in the system or something to that effect. It was agreed nearly three years ago at this stage that it was to backdated. Some of the payments were started More than two years ago. The Leader might bring this up. This is a very urgent question and many people are depending on and looking for this money, especially because some of them are not on the largest of pensions. I would appreciate it if the Leader would bring this up with the relevant Minister to see where the glitch is. I assume it is the responsibility of the Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath. We are being told there is some glitch with the payments or how they cash them or whatever else. It is there, it is agreed and nobody is disputing it but the people have not been paid. It is 3% backdated over recent years so it is well due at this stage.