MOTION:-
At the November meeting of Leitrim County Council I asked for the support of the members in calling on the Minister for Social Protection, Ms Joan Burton, T.D. to revisit and amend, the unfair Budget 2011 changes to the new number of paid contributions (stamps) required for the State Pension. Since September this year, it has become even more apparent that women, in particular, right across the country are being penalised under the new rules. Women who took time out from their employment, and in some cases without it being their choice, to rear and care for their families, now find when reaching pension age that they are below the new level of contributions and therefore will receive a much lower weekly pension allowance. .
I welcomed the support of all the members in calling on the Minister.

-The particular pension cut, that I referred to was announced in the Budget but the impact is only becoming clear now and those most affected are women who had to spend time out of the workforce to raise their children or those who looked after aging parents.

From April this year, under the Governments changes the state pension, the new rules must have a minimum of 520 PRSI contributions to qualify for a State contributory pension. Before April, you would have qualified with just half that number.

But I’m particularly referring to another change made by the current government, which came into effect from September this year, since September, anyone starting to receive a State pension will have the amount of their pension paid within a new set of contribution bands. It means that certain workers who retired since September 1st this year will get almost €30 less per week. Annually nearly € 1,500 less.

Prior to this, for instance, anyone with a yearly average of anywhere between 20 and 47 stamps would get the same payment. Now, the weekly payment can range from €196 for those with between 20 and 29 contributions to €225 a week if you have an average of somewhere between 40 and 47 weekly stamps per year

This change affects many workers who started work early, ie in their teens and those who have a broken record of employment, namely woman who, in some instances had to leave their employment when they got married and for most women who stayed at home to rear their families. This is the work record of a generation of women who are now approaching retirement age.

There is no justification of this new restructuring it discriminates against women particularly, women who took time out of the workforce to rear their children or mind sick parents or family and it’s unfair. So far there has been no effort to my knowledge made by the Minister to look at the unique positions that women are in and address the issue that unfairly targets women.

An interesting question is whether such discrimination is legal? Because it’s certainly offensive that although national organisations for women have highlighted the issue nothing has been done to date.

I welcome the full support of all the members of Leitrim County Council.

QUESTION:-

At the November meeting of Leitrim County Council I will ask the Director of Services, Infrastructure what is the up to date position regarding the NRA’s 2011 decision to defer the previous Governments plan to fund detailed structural inspections on the bridges in Drumsna and Jamestown. In 2011 the NRA advised they were deferring this programme – 12 months on it is not acceptable that there is no plan in place to carry out these structural inspections, for safety measures alone, never mind the cultural and heritage significance of these bridges.
REPLY: -Leitrim County Council are currently carrying out these inspections. Drumsna and Jamestown bridge will be inspected within the next 6 weeks.

Cllr Guckian welcomes the fact that these inspections are finally being carried out, these are very important structures not just for the two villages, but they have County significance. I look forward to examining the instpection reports in the very near future and following up on any actions that are required.

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