Sir, – It was with dismay that I read of the Minister for Social Protection announcing to much fanfare that a new pension scheme was needed for the "renting generation" who will never own their own home ("Auto-enrolment pension for private sector workers to cost €3 billion over 10 years",News, March 29th).
It was reported that a confidential Cabinet memo prepared for Ministers stated that the new pension scheme will be “particularly important” as home ownership rates are in decline and an increasing number of older people need enough income to meet the cost of rent during their retirement. I can just see them all solemnly nodding their heads as they read such a stunning insight.
Brilliant, just brilliant.
This is not an issue that has crept up on us, and we have not suddenly woken up to find this issue put on our plate.
You reported the late Seamus Brennan as being determined to implement a mandatory auto-enrolment scheme 16 years ago. Despite numerous reviews since, nothing has been done. Can you imagine where we might be regarding this issue if it had been implemented back then?
A possible solution lies somewhere involving a combination of an individual saving more, an employer increasing their contributions, a government contribution and an increased retirement age. None of which are pleasant.
Can we for once deal with an issue, however unpleasant, rather than merely talking about it?
Let’s hope that this is not yet another issue that we leave for our children to deal with. – Yours, etc,
ANTAINE O’DUIBHIR,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.