(Limerick East): asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will agree to the payment of the general scheme maternity allowance to adoptive mothers.

(Mayo West): Under the Social Welfare Acts the general scheme of maternity allowance is related to the confinement of the mother arising from the birth of her child. The adoption of children is a separate matter and I do not consider it would be appropriate to deal with the question of adoption under the maternity scheme.

(Limerick East): Is the Minister aware that there are four schemes in operation in respect of childbirth — the maternity allowance scheme for women in employment, the maternity allowance general scheme, the maternity grant and the pay-related scheme — but is he aware that none of these schemes applies to women who adopt children?

(Mayo West): I am not aware of that.

(Limerick East): What is the Department's conception of the purpose of these payments?

(Mayo West): The question relates to the payment of social welfare benefits to adoptive mothers. I have answered that part of the question but, if the Deputy wants information in relation to the other matters he raises now, I shall be glad to get the information for him.

(Limerick East): I am asking a very reasonable supplementary, that is, why the general scheme of maternity allowances is not applicable to adoptive mothers. By way of supplementary I am asking what is the purpose of these payments. I tabled a similar question to the Minister for Labour and he implied that maternity payments were some form of compensation to mothers for the pangs of childbirth.

The Deputy is only entitled to ask a question. What you have asked twice by way of supplementary is in the original but you must not make submissions.

(Limerick East): I am only trying to be helpful to the Minister.

The Minister replied to the question so I cannot allow the Deputy to continue in this vein.

(Limerick East): I am only asking a reasonable supplementary as to why the anomaly exists whereby a woman who acquires a child by way of adoption is not eligible for the benefits of the general maternity scheme, the purpose of which is to alleviate the financial burden on a family when they acquire an extra child.

The Deputy is advocating legislation and that does not arise on the question.

(Mayo West): For the Deputy's information the position is that the FUE and the ICTU agreed to the exclusion of adoptive mothers from the Protection of Employees Act, 1981, namely on the ground that the matter could be dealt with by way of the collective bargaining process. Generally the Adoption Board are opposed to adoption by women who are likely to continue working.

(Limerick East): That is a very unsatisfactory reply.

9.