Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In response to the Deputy's point, in practical terms, that is the case. It begins and ends when somebody is alive. As we know from the recent court case, people cannot claim a widow's or widower's pension if their long-standing partner passes away. The Labour Party brought a Bill before the Seanad to try to amend the social welfare rules on the widow's contributory pension in order to try to capture the reality of that practical, everyday problem that more people will experience in the future. I accept and said in my earlier remarks that this is a complex area. Society has changed, and it is inevitable that social policy will change. I respect and understand the Murphy case. That should not prevent us from accepting the reality that society has changed and will continue to evolve. The diversity of family formations is here to stay. This should not stop us from carrying out a detailed examination of the issue and how we may need to reform our tax codes in the future. It will not be today or tomorrow, but we need to prepare for it and accept that we need to prepare for it.