Marie Moloney (Labour) | Oireachtas source

When the self-employed have no more work, they cannot even sign for credits. We might want to consider credits for the self-employed so as to maintain their pension entitlements. There is a voluntary contribution but one must actually make an application in this regard within the relevant year. I believed we were making a contribution through all the levies we were paying but apparently we were not. We should have paid a voluntary contribution. When I went about doing so, the deadline had been reached and I could not. There will be a huge gap in our contributions, therefore, despite the fact that we are working. There are many others in such circumstances.

I do not expect an answer to my final question now but will put it into the Minister's head in the hope that she will think about it. I referred to the women who were affected by the marriage bar. What occurred was not their fault and they should have been given a credited contribution, which would help. It would not be a significant amount because some of the women in question are widows while others went back to work. A number got caught by the marriage bar and did not have enough contributions to qualify for a pension. The Minister might examine this and we might discuss it at a later date.