Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Jun 1994

Vol. 443 No. 7

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Bernard Allen

Question:

55 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make a statement regarding the speech he made at the publication of the annual report on the pensions board, in which he stated that he was examining ways of providing old age pensions without a means test for the half million women who work full time in the home; and the steps, if any, he will take to eliminate an unfair situation whereby women are still treated as dependants of their husbands for social welfare pension purposes.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

I have indicated for some time that I intend to introduce special arrangements to ensure that homemakers do not suffer a loss of pension entitlement because of time spent full time at home looking after a child, or caring full time for an elderly or incapacitated person.

Under new arrangements which I will introduce shortly, time spent working in the home rearing young children or caring full time for elderly or incapacitated people will be disregarded in determining entitlement to contributory old age pension. Prior to this, people in this situation would have had a gap in their PRSI record which could have prevented them from qualifying for a pension. Regulations to give effect to this provision are being prepared in my Department at present.