asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a spinster small farmer is refused unemployment assistance while males in similar circumstances are paid.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance Entitlement.
9.
This distinction in entitlement to unemployment assistance arises from the fact that the eligibility of women in general for unemployment assistance is governed by special statutory conditions additional to the normal conditions applicable to both men and women. As far as spinsters are concerned—and also widows—a special condition requires the applicant either to have a dependent child or to have at least 52 paid employment contributions in the four contribution years immediately preceding the contribution year in which the application is made. In this connection, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to the preceding question on the subject of the provision of some form of assistance for single women in which I indicated that the matter is at present under consideration in my Department.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that there is blatant discrimination between male and female in this instance? Would he not agree that since his Administration claims to have women's rights specially in mind any change which would put them on a level should be made at once?
This has been the position since the scheme's inception in 1933. The only change occurred in October last year when under this Administration in recognition of their difficulties and on the basis of the Report on the Status of Women a change was made in so far as the commission recommended in paragraph 350 that as an immediate measure contributions at any rate, instead of at the ordinary rate as specified in the then existing conditions, should satisfy the contribution test. This law was, in fact, amended with effect from 1st October, 1973. As I also indicated in the preceding two questions, the difficulties and hardship which some single women experienced are under consideration in the Department at present.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that since contributions are still demanded from the female and not from the male discrimination still exists?
I agree that the present situation, which I would again remind the Deputy was unchanged since 1933, a year after Fianna Fáil first came into office——
It is not quite the same.
The only change was made by the present Administration in October last year and it has been indicated that the Minister is aware of the hardships and the difficulty in this area and the matter is receiving consideration.