Greens to oppose any pension cuts
Green Party chairman Dan Boyle used his Twitter feed to warn the junior Government partner would oppose any reductions in the state pension, but said self-declared means testing could be on the way.
Senator Boyle said talk of a cut was “getting out of hand” and he was making the intervention because “confusion” over the issue was causing distress to older people.
The move came after opposition leaders accused Social Protection Minister Éamon O Cuív of “softening-up” pensioners for a cutback in December’s budget as the Cabinet struggles to identify €3 billion in cuts in the coming weeks.
Minister for Elderly People, Máire Hoctor, said the Government “can’t rule anything in or out at this stage”, but she had “full faith” pensions would not face a cut.
However, Ms Hoctor said the issue of people receiving state pensions, as well as “significant” independent ones would come under close scrutiny.
Labour’s social protection spokesperson Roisín Shortall warned it would be “entirely unreasonable” for the Government to deprive pensioners of a benefit they had paid for through social insurance contributions.
“The uncertainty that Éamon O Cuív has generated in this matter is already causing acute anxiety among pensioners.
“While Dan Boyle has added some clarity to this matter, it is now incumbent on Minister O Cuív to put this issue to bed and to rule out once-and-for-all, any prospect of a reduction in the old age pension,” she said.
Mr O Cuív said he was “concerned that pensioners are upset by loose talk that is absolutely removed from any reality”, but did not rule out an across-the-board reduction.
Mr O Cuív has promised to “protect” low-paid pensioners as Fianna Fáil backbenchers warned of a rebellion over a universal cut.
