Vol. 482 No. 4
3 Mr. Spring asked the Taoiseach the progress, if any, to date in the development of statistical methods to evaluate the full extent of the contribution of unpaid work done by women to the national economy, including their contribution in the unremunerated and domestic sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18221/97]
Time use surveys are an important source of information in developing a system for the evaluation of unwaged work. The CSO carried out a small scale pilot survey of some 300 households, involving nearly 1,000 respondents, in June this year. This involved the collection of general demographic information and the completion by household members of a time use diary in respect of two days. The information collected in the survey is being analysed and the CSO hopes to issue a report early in 1998 on the results of the pilot survey and on the feasibility and cost of conducting a large scale national time use survey.
In the national accounts area, the CSO's priority is to extend the range of data available at present to comply with the full detail of the core EU national accounting system. This is a legal requirement under EU law and is also necessary in the context of EMU.
The measurement of unwaged work is not part of the core national accounts. This is dealt with in satellite accounts which are used to extend the core system to provide information on topics where the estimation methods are not developed enough to allow their inclusion in the main system. In conducting the pilot time use survey, the CSO has taken an important step in this area and will continue to monitor the research and development work being undertaken internationally to evaluate unwaged work.
I thank the Minister of State for the information. Is it reasonable to expect the Government to make the information derived from the time use survey available to us? It is obvious from the Minister's reply that we do not have the relevant information on the unremunerated and domestic sectors which form a large part of our economy.
I expect we will do that. The Deputy will be aware that paragraph 5 of Partnership 2000 committed us to developing statistical methods to evaluate the full extent of the contribution of unpaid work, including the unremunerated and domestic sectors, to the national economy. When we examine the 1997 results more closely and the CSO publish its views, I am sure the system can be developed further. Unwaged work in our economy needs to be measured.
Will this statistical information be used in the near future to remove the discrimination against women in terms of FÁS and other schemes and their right to pensions? This follows from the fact that domestic work is not recognised in the economy. Women's welfare and their independence must be considered.
The Deputy has raised a number of policy issues which I will pass on to the relevant Minister. The question with which we are dealing is a statistical one. I accept there are difficulties in measuring unwaged contributions to the economy, but this must be done. The Central Statistics Office is setting out to measure the extent and value of that contribution to ensure information is available for policy making. The other issues raised by the Deputy I will pass on to the relevant Ministers.
(Dublin West): Will the Minister of State agree the economic and political establishment represented by his party has been traditionally and still is happy to have a large unpaid workforce in the home in the form of women providing and nourishing a labour force and working as unpaid carers in so many aspects of life? Will he also agree there is exploitation not only in the home but in the workforce where women's work is on a grossly unequally remunerated scale to that of men employed in industry and there is great exploitation of part-time women workers? Why does the Government not give a lead by rooting out that type of exploitation and inequality as a start to addressing this problem?
That is a policy question and I will not be drawn too deeply into it other than to comment that in recent years under successive Governments changes were made to the taxation and social welfare systems and a new Department of Equality and Law Reform was established. Those changes have narrowed a gap that needed to be narrowed. Those policies will continue to close the gap fully between the incomes and remunerations of men and women. That is what we want to achieve very rapidly.
In view of the great deal of public concern and debate that currently surrounds the issue of child care and the Government's commitment in the run-up to the general election to pay £2,000 directly to carers who stay at home to mind their children or to look after the disabled, will the Minister of State indicate if the Government intends to follow through on its commitment in the forthcoming budget?
The Minister for Finance will consider that matter in the context of framing the budget which will be introduced on 3 December.
Has the Minister of State a target date for completion of the pilot studies on this issue? That commitment was given at the Beijing conference. It is an important one and I welcome the work being done on it. Is there a target date by which time the unpaid work of women in the economy can be measured and its importance reflected in our national statistics?
The target date for commentary by the CSO on its analysis of the pilot study is early l998. It is problematic to measure this area. That was found to be the case not only here but internationally. We are trying to learn from and keep up with international methodology. The only date I can give with certainty is early 1998 for the completion of the analysis of the pilot study and further recommendations. I will ask the CSO when it publishes its 1998 report to estimate such a target date. I will try to get a definite date from it at that time.
We now come to question No. 4.
As this is my first opportunity to speak in the House since I was appointed Minister for Defence, I take this opportunity to wish my colleagues in the Opposition every success in their appointments. It is conventional to say it is hoped they will retain their positions for a considerable time, but as we are nearing the season of Christmas and goodwill and I will leave that aside for the moment.
