Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. The issue I am raising affects countless women across Ireland who dedicate their lives to raising families, caring for their loved ones or working tirelessly on family farms and who find themselves at a financial disadvantage when they reach pension age. These women who give so much to their families, communities and the economy are being penalised by a pension system that fails to recognise their contribution. This is a long-standing injustice that must be addressed without delay.

Women who stay at home face a double disadvantage. For generations, women have made the difficult choice to leave paid employment in order to care for their children. This work, though unpaid, is essential. The women who do it are the backbone of our society. Yet when they reach retirement, they are punished for this decision because they often receive a reduced pension or, in some cases, no pension at all because they lack the necessary PRSI contributions. Similarly, women who work on family farms, whether helping with livestock, maintaining records or managing the household that sustains the farm, often do so without formal pay, pension contributions or financial independence. These are workers in every sense of the word, yet the pension system does not acknowledge their labour. The result is that these women, who have worked every bit as hard as those in traditional employment, face financial insecurity in their later years. This is not just an economic issue. It is a matter of fairness, gender equality and valuing all work, paid or unpaid.

We already know that women in Ireland receive significantly lower pensions than men, with a gender pension gap of approximately 35%. However, for women in rural areas, particularly those who work on family farms, the gap is even wider. Many farm spouses and daughters work full time on the land but do not qualify for full contributory pensions because they are never formally employed. Family farms are the backbone of rural Ireland, yet the women who keep them running are often left out of the pension system entirely and this must change.

The first solution we are looking for is for the home caring periods scheme to be expanded. The current system does not go far enough. All years spent caring for children or other family members must be fully counted towards a pension. Second, women's work on family farms should be recognised. They should be automatically entitled to PRSI contributions, regardless of whether they receive a direct wage. Family farms should be supported to ensure that every family member, especially those who are women, has pension security. We support a universal State pension that is not means tested and the provision of financial and pension advice for women. Too many women are unaware of their entitlements until it is too late. The Government must do more around education, especially for those in rural areas.