Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 12 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 6

Written Answers. - Equal Treatment Directive.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

25 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in regard to the statement from his Department published in the Evening Press of 23 April 1993, he will outline the statutory criteria regarding the matter of arrears referred to in the article; the number of women who have applied for and received arrears of alleviation payments; the average amounts paid in each case; the steps being taken to alert other women who may be entitled to similar arrears; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The statutory criteria regarding the payment of arrears to married women in respect of the period of delay in implementing EC Directive 79/7 on equal treatment, from December 1984 until May and November 1986, are contained in the European Communities (Social Welfare) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 152 of 1992).

These regulations, which were brought into force on 18 June, 1992, entitle married women affected by the delay in implementing the directive to the higher personal rate of disability benefit, unemployment benefit, invalidity pension and occupational injuries benefit and to the extended duration of unemployment benefit. The regulations also entitle married women to dependency increases in the form of a household supplement and to unemployment assistance. There is no provision in the regulations for the payment of the alleviating payments.

In order to ensure that married women affected by the equal treatment provisions were aware of their entitlements under the retrospective legislation, my Department identified all potential claimants and issued personalised claim forms to those concerned. In addition, an extensive media advertising campaign was undertaken at the time.

Under the provisions of the regulations, the retrospective payments are being made on a phased basis over the period 1992 to 1994, at an estimated cost of £57,500,000.