Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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In 2006, I announced a wide range of important reforms for non-contributory pensioners in conjunction with the introduction of the State Pension (non-contributory). As part of these reforms, I also announced a specific additional disregard of €100 per week where the pensioner and/or spouse is in employment. This new disregard allows a State Pensioner to earn additional income through employment without effecting their full pension entitlements. It is intended to facilitate non-contributory pensioners who wish to continue working, or to re-enter the workforce. In Budget 2007, I decided to further increase the disregard to €200 per week, effective from last January. The earnings disregard is now equivalent to €10,400 a year.

Ensuring that our older people are offered choices in relation to generating additional income remains an important priority and I will continue to examine how we can build on the reforms I have outlined as part of the commitment to strive to ensure all our older people have security and dignity in their later years.