Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Seán Power, to the House. I raised this matter on the Adjournment as I believe there is a group of women being discriminated against in our society. Some of them were discriminated against in the past when forced to give up their jobs in the late 1960s and early 1970s because of the marriage ban. Subsequently, other women chose to give up their jobs, remain at home and rear children or care for a sick child or relative. They are discriminated against because they are not included in the present homemakers scheme, which is only applicable from 1994. That scheme recognises women who choose to leave the workforce for a period not greater than 20 years to care for children or a sick child or relative. I urge the Minister to apply the same scheme retrospectively from 1970.

It should be a parent's choice to remain at home for a number of years and the State should recognise this and support the parents. Currently there is no support but hopefully this will change when we address the child care issue and the State will recognise the work of parents who choose to stay at home for a number of years. However, a group of women is in limbo and has been actively discriminated against by the introduction of the homemakers scheme. It is wrong that the Minister introduces legislation to address a certain group yet discriminates against another group. Perhaps this could be challenged by the Equality Authority.

I urge the Government to address this anomaly in the forthcoming budget. At present there are 110,000 home carers receiving the tax allowance who are raising children up to the age of 18 years. In the year 1970 and before, women chose to remain at home to raise children or care for elderly parents. We know the contribution made to the community and I want that to be recognised. This could be done simply without huge cost to the State by recognising the years out of work and by granting the women eligibility to a pension in retirement. In this society we recognise equality, attempt to gender-proof legislation and avoid situations giving rise to discrimination but this is one area that must be addressed. I ask the Government to examine this matter and address it.