Madam, - As the Taoiseach recently announced that his proposals for the next term of government are "real and costed" I wrote asking him if the same could be said for his proposal, prior to the general election of May 2002, to introduce pensions for home-makers on return to government, and, if so, (a) how much had been set aside for such pensions and (b) when they would come on stream.
The reply from the Taoiseach's office regrets not being able to reply personally, adding that my enquiry has been passed on to his colleague the Minister for Social and Family Affairs - giving the distinct impression that neither the Taoiseach nor his office are answerable for his utterances.
To paraphrase the reply from the Taoiseach's office, and in pursuance of Mary Harney's advice to shop around, "the contents of his letter have been carefully noted". - Yours, etc,
ANNE CAHILL, Laurel Park, Dublin 22.