Vol. 547 No. 1
824 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the measures being taken to improve the position of married women working full-time in the home rearing children; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1338/02]
This Government is committed to supporting parents in rearing their children. Child benefit, normally payable to the mother, recognises the important value of the work done by the primary carer, who is usually the mother. Budget 2002 provides for a repeat of the record child benefit increases paid in 2001. From April this year, child benefit rates will rise by 31.80 for the first two children and 38.10 for third and subsequent children – bringing the lower rate to 117.60 and the higher rate for subsequent children to 142.30. These substantial increases will further strengthen the position of those who choose to care for their children on a full-time basis in the home. Action has also been taken to safeguard the social welfare pension rights of those who take them out of the paid workforce for caring duties. In recent years more flexibility has been introduced into the qualifying conditions for the old age contributory pension scheme, including a reduction in the average number of contributions required for a minimum pension to 10, the introduction of pro-rata pensions for those with mixed rate insurance records and the special pension for those with pre-1953 insurance contributions. These measures are of benefit to many women who have gaps in their PRSI records due to working in the home looking after children, or caring full time for an elderly or incapacitated person.
The homemakers scheme was introduced in 1994 and allows for periods spent out of the work force caring for children or sick relatives to be disregarded when a person's contribution record is being averaged for pension purposes. This scheme is being reviewed as part of an overall review of the qualifying conditions for the old age contributory and retirement pension, the first phase of which was published in August 2000. It is expected that the phase 2 report will be finalised shortly. Changes to the homemakers scheme will be considered in the context of the findings of the phase 2 report.
