Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001933/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Lynn Boylan (The Left)
The Irish Marriage Bar required women who worked in the public sector to cease working once married. It was removed in 1973 for civil servants, and in 1974 for the wider public sector. When compelled to end employment, women received a ‘marriage gratuity’ of one month’s pay for each year worked. Consequently, the years they worked for the public sector would not be taken into account for the calculation of their pension rights. While civil servants were still entitled to a civil service pension, those who worked in the wider public service are not able to use their years worked to qualify for a Social Welfare Contributory Pension. No such disadvantage applies to male pensioners.
Directive 2006/54/EC sets down the principle of equal treatment between men and women in relation to, inter alia, occupational social security schemes. Although the Irish Marriage Bar predates this directive, the consequences of this institutionalised gender discrimination is still restricting the access of women to occupational social security schemes.
- 1.Has the Commission made any assessment of Ireland’s Marriage Bar and its consequences for gender equality?
- 2.Does Directive 2006/54/EC apply to decisions that predate that directive but which still have a discriminatory effect today?
Submitted: 14.5.2025