Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On the changes to the transitional pension scheme, I refer to someone who applies for jobseeker's benefit as an alternative to the transitional pension. The Minister has recognised the uniqueness of the group in accepting that it can avail of jobseeker's benefit for the full year. There is a recognition of its position. Another group arrives at the age of 65 years in the expectation that it will be on the transitional pension ahead of receipt of the full contributory State pension. People in this group who are already unemployed, receiving jobseeker's allowance and have been means tested in respect of a working spouse have an extra year in which they receive nothing, as they do not qualify on the basis of the spouse's income. Is there some way of giving them some recognition in the same way as has been done for those in receipt of jobseeker's benefit? I am talking about the contributory pension.