Sir, – It is interesting that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael seem to have developed a new-found interest in the welfare of the older generation, now that an election is imminent. It all sounds wonderful, but their record to date suggests they have little interest in the segment of the population that is above pension age.
In 2011, Fine Gael minister for finance Michael Noonan raided private pension savings to fill gaps in his budget, and carried on doing so for the next four years, taking over €2.4 billion in total from the savings of people who had tried to make provision for their old age. The long-term effect on these pensioners has been a significant monthly or weekly deduction from their pension payments that continues to this day, and will continue until they die.
Other sectors also had to take pay cuts at that time, including politicians, but these cuts were all restored as soon as the country got back on its feet. Everybody had their salaries brought back up to normal, except pensioners.
Both of these parties have been in government in various combinations since 2011, but they have decided that the solution to the pensioners’ issue is to just wait, and they will die. Despite overflowing coffers, there has been a deliberate and calculated decision by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil not to do the right thing, and not to repay these stolen savings.
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Any pronouncements around pensions from these two parties should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. – Yours, etc,
JOHN MULLIGAN,
Boyle,
Co Roscommon.