The decision allowing people in retirement to keep the full pension while working is yielding encouraging results, according to Justice Minister Chris Said.

Addressing a press conference on new Nationalist Party measures aimed at the elderly and people with special needs, Dr Said noted there were more than 14,000 pensioners still in employment.

To encourage more elderly to continue working, the PN was promising that they would keep their full pension but, in addition, the Government would fork out half the national insurance contribution of those aged 61-65 and who had a job. The same would apply to self-employed elderly.

He said that, from 2014, those over 75 who were still living at home would start receiving a €500 bonus annually and fiscal incentives would be given to those requiring the services of a private carer.

More day care centres were planned and unpaid leave would be granted to employees who wished to dedicate time to care for their elderly parents.

Service pensions would be reformed so that beneficiaries would start receiving their whole dues without any deductions.

Dr Said announced that while there were already 1,300 disabled people living independently and employed, the Government was promising to recruit another 150 disabled persons with local councils and NGOs. New residential homes in the community would also be opened.

The PN, he added, was promising the opening of a new day care centre for disabled persons every year.