Welfare system ‘denies women economic independence’, says council

The National Women's Council has claimed that the Irish social welfare system denies women their rights and economic independence by failing to recognise and value unpaid care work.

The council said the system failed to recognise the restrictions that unpaid care work put on women's employment choices.

It said the consequence of this was unacceptably high levels of poverty among certain categories of women like single parents and older women.

The Women's Council has demanded an overhaul of the social welfare system to ensure that the contribution of such women is recognised.