Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Wall for the amendment. Amendments Nos. 18 to 20, inclusive, are grouped together. I do not propose to accept these amendments, which are possibly irrelevant owing to other related amendments being ruled out of order.

I wrote to Deputies Wall, Quaide, Coppinger and O'Reilly on this issue after Committee Stage. There are provisions in the Bill removing the eligibility of divorcees to the bereaved partner's contributory pension. The legislation adopts the policy whereby, insofar as possible, an individual has an entitlement to a bereaved partner's contributory pension on the basis of one person only. As I stated, this is being done in an attempt to treat each cohort equally, as far as is possible. That means eligibility for the bereaved partner's contributory pension would end upon divorce, similar to the loss of eligibility due to remarriage or on becoming a qualified cohabitant again. The Bill contains a saver clause within the legislation for anyone affected by the rule changes who is already in receipt of the payment.

The effect of this amendment will be to remove the saver provided for divorcees already in receipt of pension before enactment, which would be unfair to those currently in receipt of the payment.

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