Any measure that we examine and look at has to be seen in the context of what is a very real cost-of-living crisis for workers and for families. It is absolutely staggering that we had a Government that spent so-called billions of euro in the budget just gone, yet left so many people worse off and the vast majority of people certainly are not better off. The €10 increase in the pension was less than what was needed for that to even stand still. There was no increase in child benefit. More money has to be spent by families sending their children to third level education. The property tax has gone up. Groceries are going up. Insurance is going up. Right across the board, people are facing rising costs, yet things like the energy credits and supports that were previously in place were taken away. We then had a budget where people were left high and dry. Some people with disabilities are telling us they are down about €1,500 or €1,600 over the course of the year because of measures or failures in this budget. We then have the automatic enrolment pension scheme which, as was said, is good in principle. However, there are a number of problems with the Bill. I support helping workers build pensions, but this particular scheme locks workers in for six months before they can opt out. That is money they simply do not have. As was said, it is being handed over to the private sector rather than the NTMA actually using it to invest in infrastructure here, which is what should be happening. I want to raise the plight of former Waterford Crystal workers, a group of whom I met with my party leader last week. These were a group of workers who were made redundant many years ago. At the time they were made redundant, they were not made aware by the company of all their pension entitlements. They were only given one option. The paperwork that the Government and others say exists was never given to them and has never been found. It was very clear to them, and it is clear to us, that only one option was given to them. Because they were not given options, they are now locked out of the compensation scheme that was put in place following a court case at the European Court of Justice. These are hundreds of workers who gave their lives, who have pensions, who paid into a pension pot but who, because the company was insolvent and the pension scheme was insolvent, were left high and dry. Worse than that, because the company did not provide them with all of the options, they are now locked out of a compensation scheme that many others were included in. It is deeply unfair. My party leader has written to the Minister on behalf of this group of workers. A group of them want to meet him. They have very clear demands that the State accepts failure in this regard. Yes, the company failed, but so too did the State. They want compensation and they want an apology. I believe that is the very least that group of workers deserve.

Sentiment score: 0.06