Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary Jackie Cahill says his party will increase the State pension if elected to government. He has also promised to ensure that older people have a decent standard of living in their retirement.
Deputy Cahill said, “My party fought for pensioners over the past four years and secured increases in the State pension under the Confidence & Supply Arrangement, as well as pushing the last government to correct the pension anomaly, which the Fine Gael-Labour coalition created in 2012. This saw pensioners, and in the majority of cases women, penalised because they had taken time out of the workplace to raise children or care for loved ones.
“Fianna Fáil is committed to having a pension system that is fair, equitable and sustainable, and which doesn’t leave anyone behind. People are living longer, and we want to ensure that they have a decent standard of living.
“However, we also recognise that many people want to continue working and are therefore in favour of outlawing contracts that stipulate that people have to retire at 65. We brought forward legislation on this issue during the last Dáil term and will ensure that this measure is progressed if we are elected to government.
“Fianna Fáil has a proud record of supporting older people and in government we will deliver the income and services needed so that they can continue to live a full and independent lives”.