Over the last few weeks there has been much reflection on the Taoiseach's political career and what happened under his Governments. I wish to focus on a very bad decision by his Government in the brutal budget of 2012, which I strongly opposed. In that budget the pay related social insurance, PRSI, contribution rates, which numbered four down through the decades, were expanded to six. People with average contributions of between 20 and 47 who have become pensioners since 2012 have suffered very significantly.

The Government also gratuitously cut the pensions of people who had between ten and 20 contributions. Many of my senior female constituents who suffered most from this describe these changes as petty and sneaky. Professor Alan Barrett rightly said that the rules of the game were changed in the middle of the game. I was reminded of this great injustice a few weeks ago when Age Action published its report, entitled Towards a Fair State Pension for Women Pensioners, which was researched by Ms Maureen Bassett. The report clearly demonstrates the hugely negative impact of these changes, especially on senior female workers who have retired since 2012 and on those who will retire in the coming years. A total of almost 40,000 citizens in the lower four bands were adversely affected up to June 2016. Almost two thirds of those pensioners are women. Typically, at current budget 2017 contributory pension rates, people in band three averaging 30 to 39 contributions a year lose €19 a week, people in band four averaging 20 to 29 contributions lose €30 a week, people in band five averaging 15 to 19 contributions lose €23 a week and people in band six averaging ten to 14 contributions over their working lives lose €23.50.

The pension problem for that generation of female workers born in the late 1940s - the Taoiseach's own generation - is exacerbated by the averaging method over the whole employment history from age 16 which is used to calculate contributory pensions. Many women in this cohort have interrupted contribution histories since they worked for period in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and then carried out home caring duties for perhaps up to another two decades before they returned to the workforce.

The Government has also consistently refused to backdate the homemaker's scheme beyond 1994. The doubling of the necessary number of stamps to 520 - in which Fianna Fáil also was involved - has also gravely disadvantaged this cohort of women. As many of my own affected constituents note, the marriage bar was in place until 1973 and they raised families in an era of little or no help for children.

Is it not time to begin a restoration of the pension entitlements of that cohort born in the late 1940s? We have had the Haddington Road agreement, the Lansdowne Road agreement and the agreement with the junior doctors this morning. I ask the Taoiseach to ask the Chairman of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight to urgently examine the detrimental impacts of the contribution band changes, to begin to bring forward the process of restoration, to set up the interdepartmental committee for which Age Action has asked to work towards the universal state pension and for caring credits.

Deputy Broughan's question is perfectly valid. It is part of the sacrifices that people have put up with over the last number of years in order to return the economy to a safer place. I agree that this is a budgetary matter and must be reflected on over a number of budgets. Clearly the process by which the budget for 2018 will be constructed is starting now. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has made a number of comments about this, as has the Minister for Finance, in terms of the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation and the successor to the Lansdowne Road agreement. The points that Deputy Broughan mentioned are valid for many people.

This morning the Government noted that the Social Insurance Fund has a surplus of over €400 million for the first time in many years and that is an issue where money in surplus will have to be dealt with. A full review of that is being carried out. Clearly with the Low Pay Commission about to make its recommendations over the period ahead, the issue of PRSI and pensioners and those who are caught between 65 and 66 is obviously an issue as well.

This issue must be dealt with here and the Deputy has pointed out in timely fashion that this issue must be looked at as the Departments prepare their initial proposals for budget 2018. Depending on the financial position in which the Ministers find themselves, the Government will make decisions on how best to distribute that with a sense of fairness for everybody and those who have taken the punishment that Deputy Broughan has pointed out will be considered for whatever redemption is possible in the time ahead.

It is little comfort to the two thirds of workers involved, the women workers and the other people who have been caught in this situation.

They are bearing this burden week after week all through the years, perhaps into the next decade. I hope the Taoiseach has read or gets a chance to read the Age Action report, which gives detailed case histories of women who have suffered from this savage cut from budget 2012. A constituent of mine, Olive from Donaghmede, says that she is fuming with anger every week at how her generation is treated. She has asked for accountability and for immediate restoration of her pension.

I am due to raise the matter again with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, this afternoon and my colleagues, Deputies Joan Collins, Clare Daly and Ó Snodaigh, have also raised it. Every time I have raised it, the Minister always says there are winners and there are losers. There should be no losers if we are to have a fair and equitable tier 1 State pension for all men and women.

I thank the Deputy.

I ask the Taoiseach to address the shocking losses for the thousands of pensioners involved. The lifetime loss for people with an average life expectancy of 81 years who are in band 3 is nearly €15,000.

I thank the Deputy.

It is €23,000 for those in band 4; it is €18,000 for those in band 5 and over €18,000 for those in band 6. This is an appalling imposition on this very vulnerable group of our fellow citizens who work so hard, not just in the workplace.

The Deputy's time is up.

The women pensioners were among the first to go into the workforce and also reared their families and cared for people. I urge the Taoiseach to take the steps I have outlined.

I understand that Olive from Donaghmede, who speaks for so many others, has a grievance and would like that to be addressed. The Deputy spoke about the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. I will certainly have the Chairman of that committee contacted in order to look at it from the committee's point of view and see what recommendations it might make. Obviously, the Deputy will raise the matter with the Minister for Social Protection during Question Time. Given the meagre amounts of money available in recent years and the constraints on us, the Government has looked very carefully at those in the lower brackets. Freedom from minimum wage requirements and income tax and increases in the minimum wage were recommended in the context of trying to bring about equity and fairness for so many people.

I will have the issue referred to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight for consideration. Ministers will reflect on the preparation of the budget for 2018. I hope that Olive and so many others might be able to see some improvement in their position arising from the kind of situation to which the Deputy referred earlier.