Women's council leads call for welfare reforms

Over 11,000 letters calling for social welfare reform and an end to its "anti-woman bias" were delivered to the Department of Finance yesterday.

The delivery marks the beginning of a "brown-envelope campaign" for social welfare reform which is being co-ordinated by the National Women's Council of Ireland.

Each letter outlines the changes the council says are needed to make the social welfare system equitable.

"By signing the letter and demanding these changes thousands of women around Ireland have shown their anger and frustration at the unfairness of the social welfare system," said Orla O'Connor, policy officer with the council.

She was addressing some 120 campaigners who had marched to the department carrying placards and sacks of letters.

The letters demand reform in four key areas:

• women's access to State pensions; the council says many women do not have a right to a pension in their own right;

• placing a value on care work; women are more likely to be full-time carers than men, but just 16 per cent of all carers are eligible for the carers' allowance as it is means tested;

• recognition of women's diverse work patterns; women's work patterns are often affected by care responsibilities in ways men's are not, says the council. The welfare system does not recognise part-time, seasonal or casual work. People looking for part-time work cannot get unemployment assistance;

• individual access to welfare payments; thousands of women who work in a family business or on a farm are classed as "relatives assisting". Though working they cannot make PRSI contributions, which affects their entitlement to unemployment benefit, maternity benefit and pensions.

Though led by the women's council, the campaign is also backed by, among others, the Irish Farmers' Association, Age Action Ireland, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed and the Irish Countrywomen's Association.

Ms O'Connor said the council and its affiliates in the campaign were "deeply concerned at the Irish Government's continued lack of recognition of women in the social welfare system".

She pointed out that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Séamus Brennan, had met with the council, and committed himself to making social welfare changes in the next budget.

The letters received yesterday by the Department of Finance also call for the extension of maternity benefit from 18 weeks to 26 weeks; the introduction of paid parental leave; the introduction of a new, part-time unemployment benefit for the parents of children under 12; and reforms to ensure working women currently classed as "relatives assisting" are insured.

A spokeswoman for the department said 11,000 letters were received, and a response would be sent via the women's council.