Explosive exchanges in Dáil as Martin and McDonald clash over pension plan
There were explosive exchanges in the Dáil between Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald, who called the pension plan 'a scam'.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has accused Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald of telling “bare-faced lies” about the Government’s pension reform plan.
There were explosive exchanges in the Dáil between Mr Martin and Ms McDonald, who called the pension plan “a scam.”
Cabinet ministers signed off on the pension plan on Tuesday morning, which will see the State pension age remain at 66 with people being offered the choice to work until they are 70 in return for higher payments.
The new system will see someone retiring at 67 taking home a weekly State pension of €266, while those stopping work at 68 will receive €281.
If you remain in work until you are 69 then you will be entitled to €297. The highest rate of €315 will be paid to those who retire at age 70.
During leaders’ questions, the Sinn Féin leader said “the cat is out of the bag” and called the plan a “Trojan horse” to force people to continue working until they are 70.
She said: “You now present a ploy to force people into working until 70 years of age...retire at 70 for an extra €60 in your pension.”
Ms McDonald said young workers were also angered by the plan, “who look on now and who will wonder if they ever get the chance to retire at all”.
She said workers should have the right to retire at 65 with their pension and the Government’s plan “ignored the everyday reality of those who do hard physical jobs that take a toll on the body”.
She also said if Sinn Féin were in Government, they would increase the State pension by €15 in the budget.
Hitting back, the Taoiseach told Ms McDonald that people get “very anxious and worried” when politicians tell bare-faced lies.
He told Ms McDonald she was “deliberately not telling the truth on this one,” and was “desperate to win more and more votes, become more popular than ever.”
He said people will still be able to retire at the age of 66 and draw down their pension.
Mr Martin said in terms of people aged 65, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has got sanctions from the Government to explore avenues to facilitate those who have worked for 40 years and are not in a position to continue to work, particularly manual work.
He said: “You are in government and have been in government for the last number of years in Northern Ireland.
“You voted to increase the pension age to 66.
“And you have the nerve to come in here and attack this Government while retaining the pension age.”
He said every politician has a responsibility to the younger generations to make sure pensions are sustainable.
He said that will involve difficult decisions in years ahead irrespective of PRSI. He told Ms McDonald: “Let’s not cause anxiety or create fake news here.”
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