This chapter reviews the Irish social security system from a
gender and feminist perspective. It first reflects on the
historical path of Irish social security policy and shows how
gender segregation is deeply rooted in Irish social policy. It then
reflects on the consequences of such gender segregation and how
women experience the risk of poverty and economic dependence.
The following section reflects on reform possibilities and
examines what needs to be done to achieve a woman’s model of
social security reform.The final section puzzles about the lack of
pace of regarding such urgent and necessary reform. It concludes
that the lack of pace in gender related social security reform is
clearly linked to women’s unequal political participation
