Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

The only thing of which we can be sure is that the cohort is reducing. I know of some people who benefited from the change. Maybe the Minister knows how many women this affects but the rest of us do not. People had no choice beyond whether to get married. If they married they lost their jobs. We have moved on but how far depends on whether women have a real choice about staying at home or pursuing a career. Most of us are struck by the waste of talent and experience involved in putting these people on to the economic waste heap. I have no objection to people being given a choice but it is morally wrong to force a decision on them. We need to know how many people are affected, particularly in respect of their pensions and other entitlements. On that basis I support the amendment.

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