NWCI calls on Government to modernise social welfare provisions for women without delay

Published: Monday, May 31, 2004

A Woman's Model for Social Welfare Reform and Valuing Care Work, two NWCI reports were launched today by Minister of State, at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Willie O'Dea, T.D.

'The social welfare system fails women as it denies them full independence' said Mary Kelly Chairperson of the NWCI at today's launch. Women need reform because they want to be economically independent. They want financial and economic value for their contribution to family, social and economic life' said Ms Kelly. 'For too long the Irish social welfare system has denied women rights to economic independence and has failed to provide recognition for women's unpaid caring work. The consequence of this failure is the higher than average risk of poverty which women face, particularly lone parents and older women' she continued.

A Women's Model of Social Welfare Reform aims to build a modern social welfare system capable of meeting the needs of women in Ireland in the 21st century' said Mary Murphy author of the report.

'The research puts forward a model for a modern social welfare system which is intended to maximise labour market participation and accommodate atypical forms of work including part-time work. Simultaneously it aims to recognise and value, in monetary terms, parental and other forms of care and maximise the number of women with independent entitlement to pensions' she continued.

'There is clearly a place for a new 'women friendly' social contract because improving the situation for women will improve the collective welfare of society
at large' said Ms Kelly