Sir, - Colm Murphy (Letters, 7 July), is correct to protest at the discrimination against families where one spouse decides to stay at home to mind the children, the kind of family envisaged in our Constitution. At least he has the consolation of knowing that in his case it was a voluntary choice. How about those families where the woman was obliged to resign on getting married, and became unemployable, in the Ireland of the swinging 'Sixties?
Now, years later, these are being doubly discriminated against in retirement, as the stay-at-home wife cannot claim the special carer's tax allowance if the person she is caring for happens to be her husband. Unbelievable? It is true.
In trying to justify this, the Department of Finance tell me: "Not many people are involved." In other words, there are not many votes in it, and anyhow we are old and don't count. But we are a growing number, and becoming much more aware. Watch out, Minister. - Yours, etc.
W.J. Murphy, Malahide, Co Dublin.