Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

According to the 2009 figures, there were 113,000 widows and widowers in receipt of a contributory widow's or widower's pension. They comprise a very heterogeneous group because one has a legitimate right to work if one is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension. It is not means tested. Therefore, widows' incomes are very varied. Owing to the contributory nature of the benefit, recipients do not comprise a uniform group any more. There are more widows and widowers working than was the case in the past.

See this speech in context