Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to debate my question relating to the public service. Many of us have been out meeting people and it is an issue I have been coming across on the doorsteps. While €12 was very welcome for pensioners in the budget, retired public servants have €12 deducted from their public service pension so that they do not get a €12 increase. I have come across many people who are affected by this and I understand up to 30,000 people are being affected by this change. There is an old system and a new system. I do not know what year it started. While it sounds great that people have got €12 they are not getting it because they are losing it on the other hand. Is there any way to resolve this? There are older people on a pension and the cost of everything is going up, including groceries, heating, but nothing is coming down. That €12 would make a great difference to many of these people.