Latest: Government rules out abolishing state pension
The Government has categorically ruled out any prospect of abolishing the state pension.
It is in response to media coverage of a new report in which a member of the Pensions Authority raised the prospect of the State Pension being scrapped, once a pension scheme in which workers are automatically enrolled is established.
But this evening Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty stated unequivocally the state pension will not be abolished.
She said: "Absolutely not, and to...refute the paper that was acknowledged in the media this morning.
"The young lady happens to work for the pensions authority; she wrote an academic paper with another gentleman from DCU that suggested that something might happen.
"I was to absolutely and categorically state...the state pension system in our country is the bedrock of what our social welfare system is."
Fianna Fáil is calling on the Government to rule out any prospect of abolishing the state pension categorically.
It is in response to a new report in which a member of the Pensions Authority raised the prospect of the State Pension being scrapped, once a pension scheme in which workers are automatically enrolled, is established.
Fianna Fail described this suggestion as "dangerous and reckless".
Councillor Michael Sheehan is demanding the Government clarify that this is not on its agenda.
He said: "The Government need to be crystal clear and need to come out unambiguously and say that the state pension is not going to be abolished.
"It's creating untold uncertainty, and it's untold worry for people who are about to retire, or who will be retiring in the future."
