Vol. 375 No. 4
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps, if any, he proposes to take to end the discrimination against deserted husbands under the social welfare code; the steps, if any, he proposes to take to include deserted husbands in the present deserted wife's benefit scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
48.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to implement the recommendation of the Commission on Social Welfare to correct the anomaly which exists regarding the payment of single parents allowance, widow's allowance and widower's allowance; whether the present payments discriminate against widows and widowers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 42 and 48 together.
The social welfare schemes available to cater for the needs of women in single parent family situations are widow's contributory pension, deserted wife's benefit, widow's non-contributory pension, deserted wife's allowance, unmarried mother's allowance and prisoners wife's allowance. Widow's contributory pension and deserted wife's benefit are insurance based schemes and a woman may qualify for them on either her own or her husband's insurance record. The other schemes are assistance based and are subject to a means test.
The provision of specific payments for men who are single parents on the same lines as the existing schemes for women would have very significant financial and social implications. This matter is, however, being reviewed in the context of the examination of the whole area of financial support for single parent families generally in the light of the recommendations made by the Commission on Social Welfare.
