Fianna Fail pledge to raise old age pension

Fianna Fail is pledging to raise the old age pension to €200 a week if returned to power.

Social, Community and Family Affairs Minister, Dermot Ahern, is also promising not to touch the National Reserve fund.

This commitment is also contained in the Fine Gael manifesto.

Fianna Fail says it is also committed to maintaining the 1% GNP payment into the Reserve fund.

Deputy Ahern says his party "will not raise it" and he also went on to say that Labour’s plan to divert money away from the Reserve fund will result in a pensions shortfall in years to come.