Irish Examiner view: Move on pensions is merely kicking can down the road

It is not always prudent to kick difficult decisions down the road. That, however, may be unavoidable when all energies are concentrated on a pandemic.

Understandable as that may be, secondary problems, if they can be so described, persist until resolved.

The Commission on Pensions was established to try to untangle the vulnerabilities, inequities, and maybe suggest how we might better fund retirement. 

It is due to report before July but it may be overly optimistic to hope it might offer a transformative blueprint. 

Rather it is likely proposals will fall within the parameters of today’s pensions landscape. 

Apple carts will not be toppled. 

Any others, as various proposals on the housing crisis show, would unsettle this hidebound, conservative administration.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has announced another Band-aid measure to try to keep our pensions ship afloat.

She revealed that retirees over 65 will no longer have to sign on for the dole while they await a State pension. 

That recognises a disparity but it also includes a cut of €45 a week. It will be paid at jobseeker’s benefit rate, not the State pension rate, so an annual gap of €2,355 ensues.

This is just one of the many public sector/private sector anomalies the commission will have to consider as this particular, divisive can has been kicked along the road far too often. 

Time to topple apple carts.