Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

"1.—The Minister shall as soon as may be after the passing of this Act prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the implications of extending the social welfare free schemes to widows and widowers who do not currently qualify in that regard.".

Deputy McGrath once likened himself to a long-playing record due to the number of issues he raised in the House. I have been lobbying on this issue for almost the same length of time. The Minister stated that extending the household benefits scheme to widows and widowers under 66 who do not currently qualify for it would involve a considerable level of expenditure. I would like to discover the actual numbers of widows and widowers under 66. One could then calculate how many of them would avail of the household benefits scheme.

The loss of a spouse is very traumatic. The trauma is magnified if the spouse was the sole earner and the surviving spouse is left with two or three young children to raise. I acknowledge that the new payment for children under six years is an additional support for parents. The loss of a spouse who was the sole earner is a very significant financial blow because a significant portion of the income the surviving spouse relies on has gone. The surviving spouse is left to cope with an increasingly stressful situation. He or she suffers the emotional blow of losing his or her spouse and parent of his or her children and also loses a significant portion of his or her income. The standard of living the surviving spouse is accustomed to is severely diminished or dismantled.

As a compassionate society, we should extend household benefits to a vulnerable group. Benefits could be extended on a three-year trial basis to widows and widowers under 66 while they are still finding their feet after their initial loss. I cannot see how extending household benefits to this group on a continuous basis would be too expensive. If I was Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I would like to extend household benefits to this group, many of whom care for disabled relatives. It is worthwhile exploring whether household benefits could be extended to widows and widowers under 66. Catering for widows and widowers in this position would demonstrate that we are a truly compassionate society.

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