Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome the Tánaiste's statement, I do not think it is entirely accurate. The homemakers credit system gives grossly insufficient protections to women, in particular. It does not go back far enough. As far as I know, it allows for or takes account of just one break. The Tánaiste mentioned that the jobseeker's credit is available to those who are looking for work. As I have said on a number of occasions, a person not in employment who is a qualified adult does not get a credit for that. That person's partner gets the credit instead. A number of women, in particular, are the qualified adults in these cases. Even though they are in the system, there is no record or recognition of them. Will the Tánaiste address the shortfalls in the homemakers credit? Will she reconsider the changes she introduced supposedly to save money? It seems that rather than reversing those changes, the Tánaiste intends to throw this money at the pensions system. Will she ensure women, in particular, are not negatively affected by the changes that have been made in the State pension system over the term of this Government?

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