Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)

What I am about to raise is somewhat relevant to the Minister's brief but it also relates to the Minister, Deputy Chambers, in the Department of public expenditure and reform. It relates to Senator Stephenson's amendment No. 9 on the contributory pension. I spoke to a group earlier, whom I acknowledge. I thank them for meeting with me in Buswells. We had a good conversation. I hope we have many such meetings in the coming months and years.

The amendment has been ruled out of order in the current circumstances. As Senator Boyhan says, it is retraumatising for people who, in many instances, engaged in slave labour, when they are not made to feel believed. I communicated with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and his Department. It has been conveyed to me that we do not necessarily have to legislate for a contributory pension. We can come up with a motion to devise a scheme that would allow for it. The costings I did indicate that it would cost the Exchequer €8 million per year to enhance pensions for survivors to the level of a contributory pension. As a taxpayer, I am happy to see the tax I pay allocated for that purpose. I would like to work with the Minister on that in the future. I understand it cannot be dealt with today.

Today's Bill is not the finished article, it is a start. I hope we can work collegially as a Chamber to try and ensure this happens in the future. Today is not the end of it. There is documentary evidence that these people did get boarded out and many of them were in horrific conditions and subjected to slave labour. As a State, given the precedent set with the Magdalen laundries, we must try to push on with it, although I accept that it cannot be dealt with today.