Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Good morning to our guests. The vast bulk of my questions have been well covered by my colleagues. My recollection was that in 2012, the previous Government changed policy on the treatment of those most commonly known as the stay-at-home child care providers, primarily stay-at-home mums. The practice has been in existence for decades, and I refer specifically to those who were forced, either through custom and practice within the public sector or the private sector through agreements, to leave employment when they married. I have had extreme difficulty, as other Deputies have had, in determining the number of people - primarily, although not exclusively, women - affected in the public sector and in some private sector organisations that mimicked what I believe was a requirement rather than a legislative provision in certain areas of the public sector. I would like to determine some figures and get some information. I do not expect all the answers, given that I am putting Ms O'Donoghue on the spot. The Comptroller and Auditor General may wish to chime in if he has an answer in any areas.

When did the practice commence? When did it cease? I believe it was 2012, but I am asking it in terms of the Department of Social Protection's recognition and ability to give such a person a full contributory old-age pension despite the fact that the person did not have the required stamps because she was at home. What numbers are involved? Would the Department care to estimate, based on the numbers involved, the total cost to the Exchequer to deal with such individuals who are currently excluded and receiving only a percentage of their State pensions? The only people who have come to me about the matter over the years have been pensioners, including somebody only yesterday. It is very important that I try to quantify the figure. I have asked others in the Department and I have been unable to get the figure. I seek the total number, the estimation of the cost of a policy change to give them full entitlements and the impact of pension increases to be introduced, of which they are to receive only a percentage, as Deputy Shane Cassells mentioned a few minutes ago.