Women’s rights campaigners want pensions for mothers and carers

WOMEN’S rights campaigners want to see better pensions for mothers and carers whose roles in the home mean they are ineligible for work-related pensions.

A National Women’s Council of Ireland conference heard at the weekend how carers and mothers received lower pensions upon retirement than men or women who worked in paid jobs. Carers and mothers only qualify for lower-value basic pensions as they lack enough PRSI social insurance contributions to get the state occupational pension.

Now women’s rights campaigners want to see the differences abolished. “The State does not recognise the value of women’s work in the home or as carers but they should have pensions in their own right,” said Mary Farren, of the Clare Women’s Action Group, which jointly ran the conference in Ennis, Co Clare.

“The social welfare system is based on the male as breadwinner and does not compensate women for the unpaid work they have done in the home.” Such a system meant mothers and carers were only entitled to non-contributory basic pensions. “The system demeans women,” added Ms Farren. “There’s a need for reform and this needs to be looked at by the Government in their pensions green paper.”

The Government has unveiled plans for overhauling pensions and has invited the public to give their views.

* www.pensionsgreenpaper.ie