Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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I am sorry but I do not believe it is inadvertent. This came up on Second Stage in the Dáil. The Minister has met the groups and heard what they have had to say. The Minister is now deciding to exclude people. I cannot believe it is inadvertent or accidental. The Minister is trying to make the Bill cost neutral by recognising cohabiting people but then removing divorced and separated people.

The Minister makes it sound like two years after separating is a long time. What if a couple has three children, for example, who are all in school or college, and the deceased partner was paying maintenance or support, paying towards college fees or paying towards all of the costs that come with the leaving certificate and junior certificate? This family would now be devoid of that income. They could lose their home. They may not be able to pay the mortgage. There are all sorts of issues. The Minister said they could claim the one-parent family payment, which we know is means-tested. This will exclude them. People can be plunged into poverty because of this and that is my concern. I do not think the Minister has outlined one alternative to this.

The Minister states he cannot foresee somebody in this situation taking a case but I can, just like the person who took a case with regard to cohabiting. I can very easily see this happening. It is kind of baffling. What is the point of getting married? The establishment parties love marriage so much but there would not be any incentive to marry because people who are cohabiting will be able to get this. One of the considerations people have when they get married is thinking they will have this support but there is no benefit in doing that now. It is a very strange decision on the part of the Minister.