asked the Minister for Social Welfare when eligibility for unemployment assistance will be extended to married women in accordance with the EEC requirements.

The EEC provision to which the Deputy refers is the directive adopted by the Council of Ministers in December 1978 which provides for the progressive implementation of the principle of equal treatment as between men and women in matters of social security over a period of six years. A number of measures have already been taken to provide equality of treatment in our social welfare system in accordance with the terms of the directive and steps to remove the remaining discriminatory features, including that referred to by the Deputy, will be taken within the time scale laid down, Expenditure proposals for my Department for the current year have already been determined and further improvements cannot be expected until next year.

Would the Minister not take into consideration, because of the recession and with so much unemployment, that those married women who normally work need some extra money now and that it would be a nice gesture to bring this in as soon as possible and not have to wait until the EEC regulations come into force?

While I would wish to do so the cost would be £1 million. At the moment, because of the current unemployment situation and the demands on the other social welfare benefit schemes, at this stage my own Estimate is running short, so, not only do I not have the £1 million in that context but I am even now several million pounds short.

Is the Minister giving an undertaking that he will bring it in in 1984 if he is still in office?

There is not a hope.

I do not have much doubt about being in office. Nevertheless, the six years, as the Deputy is aware, will expire in December 1984 so that the State must implement the directive by December of next year. In the context of the Estimates for 1984, that £1 million will have to be provided. That will be my submission to the Government.

Does the Minister intend to implement all the requirements of the EEC directive in relation to women's social security before the end of 1984? Has he the estimated cost of this?

The particular aspect referred to by Deputy Lemass related to unemployment assistance being extended to married women. There are other provisions also relating to the directive which, in terms of total cost, would be about an additional £17 million. The State will be required to make this money available by the end of 1984. It is quite a substantial cost.

Is it the Government's intention to do that?

In compliance with the EEC directive the country will not have any option but to do so. It will require very careful consideration as to where we will raise the money.

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