David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

Of course. We will wait and see what happens. The Minister has already featured with regard to pensions, lone parents and others, but we wait for him to feature with regard to sorting out the problem of the marriage bar. I am amazed it has not happened yet.

Deputy Penrose was right to say we need a report on the issue. Perhaps the issue will feature in the pensions' report which is due to be published this month. We need to know how many people are affected and how they have been affected.

It is amazing that individualisation, which was introduced by former Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, encouraged women to work outside the home. Nowadays, both parents must work outside the home to keep a roof over their heads. Before 1973, women working in the public service — teachers, nurses etc. — had to leave the service on marriage. The social norm and doctrine of the time was that women were expected to give up work once they married. We have gone the other way now and the expectation is that everyone will work outside the home. This has given rise to the issues of who will look after the children and how children will be minded. Child care is now a serious issue and we have to consider whether it is right to put our children in large, anonymous child care facilities at a young age or what impact this may have on them. These are significant social questions.

With regard to the marriage bar, we are now looking at redressing a wrong that was done prior to 1973, when women had to give up their job because of marriage if they were working in the public service. Thankfully the European Union put paid to this and the position has changed. The marriage bar has become an issue with which we need to deal. All parties must focus on the issue and decide what can be done to resolve it.

If the National Women's Council proceeds with its case in Europe and is successful, the State will have to deal with the issue. I suggested on Committee Stage that the State should interact with those involved at this stage to see what can be done to preclude a case being taken all the way to the European Court and to ensure that something is done now.

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