Danny Healy-Rae Opposes Raising Pension Age, Defends 65
Danny Healy-Rae spoke in the Dáil about proposed changes to the state pension age, insisting it must remain at 65. He criticised ministers and parties for backtracking on commitments and said he would not support raising the pension age to 67 or 68.
Pension age stance
Danny Healy-Rae argued that the pension age should remain at 65 and stated he will not support any increase to 67 or 68. He emphasised the entitlement of those who have done physical work to receive the pension at 65 years of age.
Criticism of ministers and parties
He expressed disappointment at a senior minister who he said "ran out the door" during debate and declined to belittle a junior minister while stressing the seriousness of the issue. He accused Fianna Fáil and other parties of having given commitments on the doorstep and suggested those promises to keep the pension age at 65 were being broken.
Concerns for manual workers and employers
He highlighted the impact on public servants and people in manual trades - mentioning farmers and plasterers - who do physically demanding work and should be entitled to retire at 65. He also raised practical pressures on small employers and the difficulty of meeting payroll obligations for workers.
Reference to 2012 incident and interruptions
During his remarks he recalled an episode in 2012, saying women were assaulted by the leader of the Labour Party, and he addressed interruptions in the chamber, including calls directed at Deputy Catherine Connolly. His tone combined disappointment with firm opposition to policy changes on pensions.
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I'm too very disappointed when I see the senior minister running out the door the minute what yeah yeah which is gone anyway and I I'm not I'm not I'm not belittling the the junior minister in anywhere in the world but this is a very serious issue and Fianna Fáil know well on the door what happened in the doorstep and indeed all the other parties and candidates what happened before the last election and the commitments that were given by certain parties if they got into power that they'd rectify and and ensure that the pension age remained at 65 and and and because there's many public servants have to retire at 65 it is absolutely ridiculous that they have to go in the door for a year that's that's absolutely ridiculous and and certainly there was talk about increasing to 67 or 68 I won't be supporting that at any time for whatever length of time I'll be in in in Dalian people that have worked have physical work in their lifetimes and they're strangled and torn from from from have physical work and who think of farmers who think of of of plasterers and all those that do physical work they are entitled without shadow of a doubt to get the pension at 65 years of age and when you think of of those people that create employment and and and there's very little been mentioned about that it's very hard and and and and and owners to ensure that you've paid uh ready up on the table for uh the the workers on on a Friday evening I want to mention to see supervisors I remember a particular night uh there was a motion here inside in this in this chamber and Fianna Fáil promised that if they get it got into power I'm apt to tell you chairman if he got into power that he that he'd see after to see supervisors they are where they are where that night in the very same place and the women in 2012 I'm very sorry I I I was left sometime but I I wanted this to finish with no no the the women in 2012 were actually assaulted by by the leader of the Labour Party I'm sure you go deputy Catherine Connolly you're sharing your time deputy deputy deputy deputy deputy deputy I'm still without your attention I'm very sorry I even forgot deputy deputy we're all very fond of you it doesn't entitle you to any more time than any other speaker okay
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