Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Is the Government seriously asking women to wait until 2020 for this matter to be resolved? That is bonkers, unbelievable and unacceptable. Every Member accepts the changes introduced in 2012 disproportionately affect and impoverish women. I have told the Tánaiste that almost 25% of women in receipt of a State pension are discriminated against to the tune of €30 a week. That is a lot of money for people on a fixed income. Something needs to be done about it now.

The Tánaiste deliberately and cynically conflated two matters. The retrospective application of the homemaker's scheme would cost several hundred millions of euro. What needs to happen in the here and now is a reversal of the band and rate changes introduced in 2012. The Tánaiste was correct that the cost to the Exchequer of that would be €70 million. That is what needs to happen.

See this speech in context