A number of welfare reforms aimed at reducing women's economic dependence on men are to be announced by Minister for Social Affairs Séamus Brennan.
One of the first measures will allow older women to have an individual entitlement to pensions rather than being paid as a dependant of their husband.
This means up to 20,000 women who are classified as dependant adults under the qualified adult allowance will be given the option of being paid directly rather than through their husbands.
Women's groups have pointed out that 95 per cent of all qualified adults are women and the social welfare system reinforces women's dependence on men for income.
Mr Brennan said he recognised the vulnerability of older women and the new measures were aimed at helping to address this.
"I'm of the view that women don't get as fair a deal as men. All evidence available shows that the social welfare code needs to be stronger for women. In this context, it's only right that women should have the option of having the cheque sent directly to them," he told The Irish Times.
The National Women's Council of Ireland says the "male breadwinner" welfare model limits a woman's economic independence by treating women as dependants. It can also stop women from leaving a partner if the relationship is troubled or violent.
Mr Brennan said he wanted to increase the qualified adult allowance from its current rate of 70 per cent of the State pension (the non-contributory old-age pension) to the full rate. However, this had significant cost implications and would not happen quickly, he said.
Under the Programme for Government drawn up by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in 2002, it pledged to increase the qualified adult allowance to the same level as the non-contributory old-age pension. It now appears this is unlikely to happen.
A number of other measures aimed at "re-balancing" the welfare system to provide greater recognition to women are also under examination, Mr Brennan said.
Research shows that women are at greater risk of poverty than men. This is especially so among older women, with some research suggesting that 60 per cent of women aged 65 and over are at risk of poverty compared with 36 per cent of men.
Groups such as the National Women's Council of Ireland are likely to welcome Mr Brennan's changes, although they are certain to say they do not go far enough. It wants the qualified adult allowance to be increased to 100 per cent of the non-contributory old-age pension.
The council has also campaigned for a range of other measures, including: extending maternity benefits; paid parental leave benefit for parents of young children; consolidating a carer's benefit and allowance into a wage, so such work is valued and that carers can build up an independent social insurance record.
