Marie Moloney (Labour)

The Minister has made provision that it will not increase to 520 contributions which would equate to ten years' work. Applicants for widow's pension have always been assessed very generously when compared with those applying for old age pensions. There is no yearly average or anything like it, as it simply depends on the number of contributions paid in the year before the death occurred or over one's lifetime. I have only one concern in this regard which the Minister might consider in due course. It pertains to young widows or widowers, as, although everyone refers to this benefit as widow's pension, it is also payable to widowers and as such, applies to both men and women. My concern is that someone in his or her early 20s could be widowed and left with children. I acknowledge such persons may be able to claim lone parent's allowance or other payment if they do not have five years' contributions. In due course the Minister might consider graduating such contribution thresholds by age. In such a scenario, it might not be necessary for a widow or widower aged under 25 years or his or her deceased spouse to have five years' contributions. Consideration should be given to the possibility of deciding that such individuals might not have had the chance to build up contributions. Certainly, as people now emerge from college later in life, they might not have had the chance to have five years' contributions. I, therefore, ask the Minister to revisit this issue at some stage.