Tánaiste denies accusations the budget penalised women

TÁNAISTE Eamon Gilmore has denied that the budget targeted women, saying such claims are “unfounded” and “untrue”.

He was responding after Fianna Fáil deputy leader Éamon Ó Cuív criticised the decision to reduce the state pension from September of next year for some new claimants.

The reduction will affect new claimants who have a yearly average of less than 48 PRSI contributions. They will receive a lower state pension than those who have more than 48 contributions.

Mr Ó Cuív told the Dáil that the change — which the Government believes will save €45 million a year — would mostly affect women.

“Based on (Social Protection Minister Joan Burton’s) figures, this could affect over 50,000 people, 90% of whom are women, from September 2012,” Mr Ó Cuív said.

“Put simply, anyone who during a normal working life took time out to rear children or care for elderly relatives will see their pension entitlements decrease by €30 per week just because they reach pension age after September 1, 2012.

“What does this say for the meas the Labour Party has for mná na hÉireann? Why are we penalising women who contributed so much to our society?”

He proceeded to say that a “lot of the budget” had been focused against women.

But Mr Gilmore denied this was the case.

“No measures are targeted at women. Any of the reforms proposed in the budget, such as those pertaining to pensions, apply to men and women,” he said.

“In respect of the changes which are proposed with regard to eligibility for pensions, namely the number of qualifying contributions which are required, they can be made up by looking at the contributions of either partner where a couple is married.”

But Mr Ó Cuív said it was “totally disingenuous” to suggest the pension measure applied equally to men and women.

“Everybody knows that the proportion of women who start work, leave it for a period, and then return to work is much higher than men,” he said.

Mr Gilmore insisted the budget was “balanced”, adding: “The budget does not target women; that is simply untrue. He is making an unfounded political charge.”

Mr Gilmore said the country was in difficult times and everybody understood that. The Government had succeeded in bringing in a budget that did not increase income taxes or cut headline social welfare rates, he added.

“The budget and measures contained in it are balanced. The Government has made clear that where some measures have had unforeseen consequences, it has been prepared to look at them on their merits and make adjustments where necessary.”