Retirement at 66 pledge from Labour

LABOUR Party leader Brendan Howlin has said he would insist on abandoning plans to increase the retirement age to 67 if he was in government after the next general election.

The eligibility age for receiving the State pension is due to rise to 67 in 2021 and to 68 in 2028.

However, speaking at the Labour Party’s conference in Mullingar, Mr Howlin announced he would block any attempt to increase the current State pension age of 66 if in government.

“Labour will campaign to stop an increase in the retirement age from 66 to 67 in 2021, for the duration of the next government. There needs to be a full review of this by the next Government,” he said.

“Ireland has the highest birth rate in the EU, we have record employment levels, strong inward migration, and the social insurance fund will have a surplus at the end of this year of €3.8bn, rising to over €5bn by the end of 2020. There will be a census in 2021 that will shed more light on our population growth,” he added.

Mr Howlin also said the Labour Party would push for a cap on rents until enough new homes were built to ease the pressure on the property and rental market.

The Wexford TD said he would also set up a €2bn climate action fund “to drive the necessary economic change using the power of our State enterprises”.

“Leo Varadkar has talked about warmer winters being a ‘benefit’ of climate change,” he added.

“This shows either incredible ignorance or else serious contempt for science. It’s certainly an insult for those already suffering across the globe.”

Mr Howlin also called for more investment in Bord na Mona, ESB and Coillte, especially in the midlands “where Fine Gael has let good jobs fall away”.

He told party members that a “new toxic racism” had entered politics and accused Mr Varadkar of sending “mixed messages, at best” on issues relating to discrimination.

“From protests against asylum seekers, through to a presidential candidate making disparaging comments about Travellers — longstanding taboos have been broken,” he said.

The Labour Party would also ban political advertising on all social media platforms during election campaigns.

“Twitter has stopped political advertising. And Labour would ban political advertising during elections on all social media, including on Facebook and Instagram,” Mr Howlin said.

He also said the Government should “properly fund public service broadcasting” and added that they should “maintain a vibrant, independent RTE”.

Mr Howlin said the country needed a new economic strategy which would see carbon taken out of our economy, dependence on foreign investment reduced and new technology harnessed for the “public good”.

“Our current economic model is not delivering for everyone,” he said.

“Labour is committed to an economic model that creates enough wealth to be shared by all. European social democracy offers a real alternative.

“It works best in the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden. Let’s add Ireland to that list.”

He also urged voters to back Labour Party candidates in the forthcoming by-elections taking place on November 29.

These include Labour’s John Maher in Cork North-Central, Duncan Smith in Dublin Fingal, Joanna Tuffy in Dublin Mid-West, and George Lawlor in Wexford.