asked the Minister for Social Welfare her views on discriminatory practices in the payment of pensions between widows and widowers; her views on European Parliament Resolution C 117/173/174 (Ms. Maij-Weggen); the action she proposes to take in advance of an EC directive on the matter; and whether she will introduce a uniform system of payments to all widowed persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensions Payments.
24.
The widows' pension schemes are designed to meet the financial needs, experienced as a result of the husband's death as he would, generally, have been the breadwinner in the family. Where a pension is paid to a widow under the widow's contributory pension scheme it is not affected by any other income or earnings which the widow may have. The provision on the same basis of pensions for widowers would have wide-ranging financial and other implications.
Widowers with dependent children who are in receipt of disability or unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance can receive a "housekeeper" allowance in the form of an increase for an adult dependant in respect of a woman who is looking after the children. Assistance can also be provided under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to any person who is in need.
Matters not covered by the EC directive on equal treatment which are the subject matter of the European Parliament Resolution C 117/173/174, are now about to be considered by the EC Commission. It is not proposed to take any action in advance of decisions to be made at EC level.
Would the Minister agree that under existing regulations widowed men are badly discriminated against? I realise that the European Parliament is attempting to ensure that the term "widowed persons" should be used rather than "widows" or "widowers". What are the Minister's views on this matter? Does she not feel that men are badly discriminated against? Would she not agree that men who lose their wives are very often placed in a particularly invidious position in the sense that many of them have to give up their jobs and the family end up in extremely poor financial circumstances as a result? Have the Department any views on whether they would implement a directive immediately if it became the stated policy of the European Commission?
The widows and orphans pension scheme was introduced a long time ago, in 1935 and before our present Constitution. The scheme was introduced at a time when very few women worked or were able to support themselves. The more I look into the social welfare system the more I see the great many schemes which seem to have that as a basis. The kind of provisions made for widows were not made for widowers because it was considered very unlikely that a widower would be left without financial support due to the death of his spouse. This question has implications not only for widowers but for other categories such as deserted husbands. There are considerable implications across the board in dealing with the new situation of men and women. Where a widower is in receipt of any payment from my Department — disability benefit, unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance — he gets a housekeeper allowance to assist him in having the children looked after. The European Parliament Resolution 79/7 on equal treatment of men and women was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 19 December 1978. It provided for a great many schemes, many of which we are currently bringing into operation. It does not cover survivors' benefits and we are awaiting an EC directive on this matter. The Commission on Social Welfare recommended that there should be one overall social assistance scheme covering existing categories and other persons where an income need is established. The whole question of the support of one parent families, irrespective of how that status arose, is a logical follow on from our examination of anomalies. I have to repeat that there are massive implications arising from the Commission's report, from our own observations and from the possible EC directive. I intend to wait to see what the decisions on this at EC level will be.
Obviously, the Minister recognises that equality is something we hear a lot about nowadays and that in this area the rules, which were introduced when women by and large did not engage in employment outside the home, are out of date. Any type of sociological survey would show that many married women work outside the home and that the scene has changed. This discrimination against men, particularly widowers, is blatant. I am glad the Minister mentioned men whose wives desert them and leave them to head a one-parent family. They are being discriminated against because they do not get a deserted husband's benefit or allowance. The Minister should look into that area. Will the Minister explain how men who have been contributors to the social welfare fund for many years when they become widowers are not entitled, in justice alone, to a widower's benefit?
I have given the Deputy a fairly full reply to his question on this matter. The implications of changes in this area are very big and they will affect many people. If it was not a matter of concern the EC would not be taking it up. Obviously, I will be playing an active part in the EC's consideration of this matter. I accept that anomalies exist in the widows and other schemes and that those anomalies need to be dealt with.