Congress repeatedly warned government that changes to PRSI qualification bands introduced in 2012 would discrimate against women in the workforce and negatively affect their pension entitlement.
In January 2017 submission to the Department of Justice & Equality on the development of a new National Women's Strategy, we noted:
"We as a society need to talk about the issue of pensions as a matter of urgency. Failure to do so will lead to a rise in levels of old age poverty, and it is women who will be hit in a disproportionate manner. We believe that the 2012 changes to PRSI qualification bands for pensions discriminates against women and can and should be immediately reversed. This was a grossly unfair decision that had the effect of reducing the Contributory Pension of those with an average of 29 annual contributions, by €1500 per annum, more than two thirds of whom are women. There was no political debate; no public consultation and no cost benefit analysis of the measure. There was no consideration given to the issues of fair play, or equity, or minimising hardship to those worst affected. The strategy should outline the disproportionate effect of pension changes on women and commit to reversing this gender discrimination immediately."
In June 2017, Congress appeared before the Dail's Joint Committee on Social Protection to discuss the state pension. We restated the case made earlier and noted:
"Numerous studies have shown that there is a significant gender pension gap. A recent study by Mercer found that the gap in retirement income between men and women could be as high as 40%. The 2012 changes to the eligibility criteria must be reversed if the gender pension gap in Ireland is to be reduced."
Appearing before the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight & Petitions, in Feb 2015, on we highlighted the inequality and negative impact of 'the decision to change the eligibility criteria to take €1,500 per annum from the pension of those, mainly women workers, who had to spend some time out of the workforce..."
Similar concerns were expressed in our January 2017 briefing document on defined benefit schemes and the Congress Pre Budget Submission published in September 2016.
macdara
