Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to address the shortfall in credits that many women face due to past discriminatory regulation where married women had to retire in view of the ongoing pension difficulties. [31816/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemakers scheme which was introduced from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person's social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. However, the scheme will not of itself qualify a person for a pension. The standard qualifying conditions, which require a person to enter insurance 10 years before pension age, pay a minimum of 260 contributions at the correct rate and achieve a yearly average of at least 10 contributions on their record from the time they enter insurance until they reach pension age must also be satisfied. Accordingly, the scheme will not benefit someone whose social insurance record includes only contributions at the modified rather than the full rate.

In general, the social insurance class paid by those who were required to retire because of the marriage bar was a modified rate which now gives coverage for widow(er)'s and orphan's pensions and occupational injury benefit, bereavement grant and carer's benefit only. This level of coverage reflected their occupational pension position and general contract of service at that time. Accordingly, even if they had continued in employment, contributions paid at this class would not have entitled them to an old age pension under the social welfare system.

That said, the Government is anxious to ensure that as many people as possible can qualify for contributory pensions in their own right. A number of measures have been introduced over the years which make it easier for people to qualify for contributory pensions. These include the reduction in the yearly average number of contributions required for pension purposes from 20 to 10 and the introduction of special half rate pensions based on pre-53 insurance contributions. Pro-rata pensions are also available to allow people with mixed rate insurance records to receive a payment.

This set of measures is of particular benefit to women who may have less than complete social insurance records due to working in the home. It is estimated that approximately 88% of women aged 65 years of age or over are at present receiving social welfare support, either in their own right or as qualified adults on the pension of their spouse or partner. Also in 2002, facilities were introduced to allow for the payment of qualified adult allowances direct to spouses or partners. The administrative and legal implications of improving these arrangements to provide more direct payments to spouses and partners is being examined.

The new enhanced standard State pension (non-contributory) for those over 66 years, which I introduced at the end of last month, features significant improvements in the means test which will allow some who are currently outside the social welfare pensions system to qualify for a payment.

The Government is committed to producing a Green Paper on pensions as part of the new social partnership agreement Towards 2016 with a view to developing a framework for future pensions policy. This will deal with pensions in general but it will include outstanding issues relating to social welfare pensions, including those who remain outside the system. The Green Paper will be published within months. A consultation process will then take place and the Government will publish a framework for future pensions policy.