Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that the Department will get a deluge of applications and that there will be a spike. I would like to mention a case I came across. I think these cases should be fast-tracked on the inner lane. Following the death of a man who was in receipt of the fuel allowance, his wife went for the widow's pension. They were living as a couple. Obviously she has to confirm she is now living alone. To get that allowance reinstated, she should not have to go through all the hoops with the rest of the applications.