Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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618. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will make changes to the current homemakers and home carers scheme given both discriminate against women in terms of age (details supplied); if he is aware that the current regime is causing income poverty for many women; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38805/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Homemakers Disregard Scheme was introduced in April 1994 for use in the Yearly Average calculation of the State Pension (Contributory). This allowed an applicant to apply under the Homemaker's Scheme for those years out of the workforce since April 1994 spent caring for children under age 12 or other dependent relatives to be disregarded in the calculation under the Yearly Average calculation method. Only caring periods from the April 1994 onwards were counted.

People whose pensions were decided under the 2000-2012 rate bands (i.e., those born before 1 September 1946) were subject to a more generous payment regime than those who qualified before or afterwards, as a Yearly Average of only 20 contributions per year (out of a possible maximum of 52) could attract a 98% pension.

If pre-2012 pensioners were also allowed avail of the interim Total Contributions Approach, including HomeCaring Periods, their arrangements, as a group, would be significantly more generous than those of post-2012 pensioners.

Equally, if the Homemakers Disregard Scheme was extended to periods of care before April 1994, this would result in a very substantial increase in cost to fund these pensions and would again result in more generous terms than those for post-2012 pensioners.

It should be noted that since January 2024, long-term carer's contributions can be awarded to a person who has cared for an incapacitated person for a period of 20 years or more. These contributions will be treated the same as paid contributions for State Pension (Contributory) entitlement only and can be used to fill any gaps in a person's contribution record, including satisfying the minimum 520 contributions required for eligibility. Individuals born before 1946 are eligible for long-term carer's contributions where they have been caring for an incapacitated dependent.

Where a person reaches State Pension age and does not satisfy the conditions to qualify for State Pension (Contributory) or qualifies for less than the maximum rate, they may instead qualify for one of the following:

• The State Pension (Non-Contributory) which is a means-tested payment (based on their share of household means) with a maximum payment of 95% of the State Pension (Contributory); or
• An increase for a qualified adult (IQA) (based on their own means), amounting up to 90% of a full rate State Pension (Contributory) where their spouse has a contributory pension; or
• Where their spouse/civil partner is deceased, a widow's/widower's/civil partner's contributory pension, which they may claim either based on their spouse's or their own social insurance record. The qualifying conditions for this require fewer contributions paid (260) than the SPC for the maximum personal rate for those aged 66 or over.