Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I emphasise that the Department provides an extensive range of supports to the immediate next of kin of people who have died. I refer to the important payments that are made to immediate families as opposed to more distant relatives such as cousins and siblings who may not have lived with the deceased. A significant number of bereavement grants were paid to people who were inheriting the estate of the deceased as they were paid into that estate.

The widow, widower or surviving civil partner of a deceased person receives a widow's or survivor's pension as a consequence of his or her partner's death. If there is a child or children, the widow or widower receives a cash payment of €6,000. Even in the context of the high cost of funerals, this is a significant payment. In addition, social welfare payments for the deceased person continue to be paid for six weeks to his or her immediate next of kin, for example, a widow or widower. This means, for instance, that the widow or widower of a pensioner who dies continues to receive the pension of the deceased person for six weeks after his or her death. In general, this amounts to a payment of approximately €1,300, which is significant.

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