Many newly registered pensioners who have turned 60 (women) and 61 (men) over the past 14 months are extremely disappointed at the way the government has treated this category, so much so that they intend underlining their disapproval by not casting their vote in the June MEP elections.

Allow me to present two scenarios: After diligently and punctually paying their NI contributions all their life, many couples were eagerly looking forward to reaching the 60/61 threshold in order to be able to continue working perhaps a few hours a week, so that they feel that they can still contribute to society.

However, this concept was nipped in the bud when in January 2008 the government enacted a law, without any warning, that irrespective of the number of working hours per week, one had to pay the minimum NI contribution, which amounts to circa €1,380 per annum.

This discriminates between pensioners who work and do not pay anything and others who do pay. It would have been more fair had this new law been introduced gradually over the years or at least, to establish a 10 per cent as minimum NI contribution.

Let's take another scenario. A happily-married couple have been working all their lives and discover that, as soon as the second spouse reaches pensionable age, the first spouse starts receiving a reduced pension.

Questioning this anomaly, people were told that if they were separated or if they decided to separate, they would both receive their full pension.

How's that for an ambiguous situation? United we stand, divided we stand to gain.