New Pension Measures Condemn Older Women to Increased Risk of Poverty

Published: Thursday, August 30, 2012

National Women's Council of Ireland has expressed real concern at the new pension measures being introduced by the Department of Social Protection. The measures, which cut contributory payments to many of those who will go on pension in September. The measures will cut contributory pensions to new pension recipients by between €977 and €1,500 per year depending on their average annual reckonable contributions. Older people have the lowest levels of disposable income and are heavily reliant on social transfers to keep them out of poverty.

"This is a hugely severe cut which will push thousands of senior citizens closer to hardship and a risk of poverty", said Orla O'Connor Acting CEO. "It will particularly affect women because of the role that women continue to play within the family as primary care givers. It remains a fact that women earn less, work fewer hours and withdraw from the labour marker more frequently than men. All this has an impact on women's entitlement to a State pension. In addition fewer women than men currently have access to personal or occupational pensions", she added.

"For many years the NWCI has argued for pension reform that protects women's right to an older age free from poverty, promotes their economic independence and acknowledges and rewards the role that women play as workers, as mothers, as carers and as home makers throughout their lives" , said Ms. O' Connor. " Clearly a new direction is urgently required involving the introduction of a universal pension system which guarantees all women and men a decent standard of living in their older years regardless of their employment history", she said.

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For further information contact;

Rachel Doyle
Head of Outreach NWCI
087 - 2998619