Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

I thank the Minister for his reply. Let me articulate and propound the case of the cohort including farmers' and shopkeepers' spouses. They are declining categories of people across rural Ireland and in urban areas who are effectively forgotten or invisible in the social welfare code. They spend many hours at the shoulders of their spouses, trying to retain and build up businesses. They work extremely hard from early morning to late at night. They do not have the formal arrangements or contractual arrangements to which the Minister referred. They could in the case of legally incorporated businesses or partnerships, but that is the State effectively imposing a view on them. Why does this have to be done? Does the Minister agree that a significant anomaly exists within the social welfare code for farmers' and shopowners' spouses as well as other self-employed categories? Women are being classified as relative to the system and prevented from paying PRSI in their own right. As a result, they cannot qualify for contributory pensions in their own right.

Does he agree that the problem has been compounded since the introduction of a means test for the qualified dependant? Is it not the position that they are wiped out all together? They work extremely hard, rear families and give a service to many people across the country, whether on the farm, huckster or corner shop. Is this not effectively another form of discrimination?

The answer is to remit such people in these situations. I accept such an initiative would have to be subject to examination, restriction and regulation. However, they should be allowed to pay the PRSI contribution on a voluntary basis, as was done with the carers, provided they work a certain number of hours in the shop or on the farm. Let us say it would cost up to €500 per annum and they would need ten years' contributions to qualify. It would not be open season and would be subject to regulation. We all know that one cannot undermine the concept of the PRSI system, and we would not want to do so. However, we should recognise people who are making a major contribution but who are wiped out of the system and in statistical terms turn up with zero in this regard.

I appeal to the Minister as part of the multifaceted reviews going on in his Department to examine this situation. I am sure the farmers' bodies and self-employed associations will make robust submissions to the Minister in the context of recognising people's contributions, ensuring the independence of women and removing them from a sense of dependency which was introduced in the 1920s and 1930s and which should be eliminated.

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