Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 8, before section 6, to insert the following new section:

6.—(1) Section 125 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) in subsection (1) (amended by section 17 of the Act of 2010) by substituting the following paragraph for paragraph (a):

"(a) that the widow, widower or surviving civil partner has qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 260 contribution weeks in the period beginning with his or her entry into insurance and ending immediately before the relevant time, and",

and

(b) by inserting the following subsection after subsection (1):

"(1A) Where the date of death occurs before 5 July 2013, subsection (1)(a) shall be read as if '156' were substituted for '260'.".

(2) This section comes into operation on 5 July 2013.".

This is to provide for an increase in the number of qualifying contributions required by the surviving spouse or civil partner, or the deceased spouse or civil partner where appropriate, from 156 to 260 during the period from July 2012 to 27 December 2013 to qualify for a survivor's pension.

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