Mr. Tim Duggan:

We are looking at carer's allowance. There are also a number of other issues being considered. We hope to do what the Senator suggests. We have to consider the matter very carefully because wrinkles are caused in other areas. We have to be sure that when we address the issue, we wil not create yet another anomaly which will have to be dealt with by some other measure. The issue is being looked at favourably. We do not intend to use the payment in the case of re-entry credits.

The final question on the marriage bar confuses me considerably. The marriage bar primarily affected people working in the public service and with some larger employers. Persons who were in such employment would never have received a State pension had they remained in that employment. I am always confused when the marriage bar is raised as a significant issue in the context of the State pension. My mother-in-law was such an individual. She might have received an occupational Civil Service pension, but she would never have received the State pension. I fail to see how it is relevant in the calculation of the State pension.