Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to pick up again on a couple of points. As Senator Doherty said, it would be very useful and important for our committee’s work if we had some sense of what the gender analysis process has been on pensions within the Department – not within the commission – in terms of its proposals. Specifically, what modelling has there been around the potential impacts of things such as the automatic enrolment scheme? The data are there, effectively, to do some analysis of what the likely impact would be. I share the concern that we might end up with gaps being created.

I also wonder whether we could get a detailed analysis around that €2 billion to €3 billion from the Commission on Pensions that was mentioned. If, specifically, we were to look to those who have a carer’s allowance and have been contributing in that way but fall short to be brought to the same threshold of the contributory State pension, what would that particular slice of money do? That is bridging that 50% of women who will not qualify for the full contributory State pension. What would specifically addressing that 50% gender gap look like?

The witnesses will be aware that there are those who are in a very particular position. We mentioned the scheme in terms of those who are incapacitated. We still have older women in the State who were affected by the marriage bar and will not be able to meet the ten-year threshold in that regard. That is something where a ring-fenced, specific scheme has been called for in the past. That is a crucial recognition of care and possibly not covered. Perhaps it will be covered by the new scheme that is coming in terms of incapacitated dependants.

Can the witnesses follow up on the minimum essential standards of living? As I noted earlier, the citizens' assembly sought to ensure that people had a level of income that was both above the poverty and deprivation threshold and specifically met particular adequate standards of living. That was directly in there. How much work has been done by the Department to make the minimum essential standard of living research available and relevant to the consideration of the potential introduction of a living wage or the adequate minimum wage directive from Europe?

That is so much but that is probably enough.