Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Higgins on bringing this amendment to the House. I greatly admire her erudite and deep knowledge of this topic. The pension gender equality movement is very lucky to have her as an advocate and I would like to see myself as part of that movement.

There needs to be a full review of the contributory pension entitlements for women. There is a real and present inequality. Lip service is given to this issue in committees, the Dáil and the Seanad but nothing has been done. I will address it later with my amendments. There will be a cost in ensuring that this inequality is fixed. It is, however, an acceptable cost and as Senator Higgins pointed out, there is a legacy of mistreatment of women in Ireland, not just physical and emotional but also financial. This needs to be addressed urgently.