Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am happy with that response. The important point for me is that the surviving partner has to provide that information to outline whether it was five years without children or two years with children. As has been said, it is already working. We have to be careful that we define that in the eventual Bill. We must also ensure that we do not set about reinventing a wheel. As has been said at this committee previous and as the Chair has said, during a bereavement, it is very hard to gather up that information to prove a point. Deciding officers then have to make their decisions on the basis of that information. It is very important that this is defined and that we use the existing legislation. I thank Mr. Bowes for the reply.