Ms Olga Wehrly:

The Deputy mentioned a friend whose disability payment was affected because they were married. I want to highlight the huge discrepancy between how Revenue and Social Welfare treat marriage and cohabitation. In Revenue's eyes, if you are not married you do not get the benefits of being married, but with the Department of Social Protection if you live with someone, you are treated as though you are married and are penalised accordingly. As a result, I am afraid that living in sin would not have saved him. However, it is an issue for a lot of people. Why is there this difference in the benefits and disadvantages accrue? It is of benefit to be married for Revenue but in the eyes of the Department of Social Protection it makes no odds.