Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for staying for the entire debate and for his presentation. I also thank the Senators who contributed to this worthwhile debate. While I recognise that many Senators concentrated on particular areas that were of more concern to them than others, sharing our views is still valuable.

I welcome the Minister's statement that he is examining how to make the payments directly to the qualifying adults and would be happy were he to find a mechanism to do so. We must ensure that the adults in question, usually women, have economic independence. We must get away from the type of dependency on the bread winners, usually men. I would welcome any improvements the Minister could make in this area.

Concerning the homemakers' scheme, I recognise that it is worthwhile in its current form but it will not come into effect or cost the Government anything for many years. Will this scheme be made retrospective to 1973 in order to recognise and acknowledge the work that has been done by the hundreds of thousands of women who, in many cases, were forced to stay at home and those who chose to stay at home and rear their children? We should make it retrospective and the Minister should examine the matter again.

I look forward to the report that will be published by the Pensions Board next week. When Senators spoke about pensions, they were obviously speaking about the social welfare pension, the old age contributory or non-contributory pension. Of course, there are other pensions, namely, occupational pensions, in which the Minister knows I have a great interest. The social welfare pension is in a complete mess and I would welcome any suggestion by the Minister to scrap the occupational pension schemes and place money in the social welfare pensions instead. The Minister knows there are many people who have paid into occupational pension schemes for all of their working lives but are today dependent on their old age contributory pensions, which comprise the greatest portions of their overall pensions.

The social welfare pension works very well. While it provides a pension I would like to see it increased as it remains low compared to other countries. The occupational schemes incur significant costs on the State, particularly in respect of tax exemptions. If money were redirected from tax exemptions and put into social welfare pensions we could create a better pension for every worker in this country than is the case. I hope the Minister is examining such a suggestion. I believe it is how he would like to deal with the issue but it will be difficult and the amount of work large.

I also hope the Minister will examine the suggestions I have made and the pre-budget submissions he has received from the many organisations that wish to rid this country of poverty, particularly among women and children. There are many good suggestions that should be implemented and I hope the Minister will see his way to doing so in the forthcoming budget.