Occupational pensions need to be provided for part time and other "atypical" workers, according to the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa.

Speaking at the first annual conference of pension lawyers in Dublin last night, Mr De Rossa said it "should be a matter of some concern" that part time workers tended not to have occupational pension cover.

He pointed out that the number of regular part time jobs as a percentage of total jobs has risen over the last 20 years from 4 per cent to 10 per cent, and the majority of workers in such jobs tended to be women.