Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 16, after line 31, to insert the following:

“Report on the current criteria for Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension

24.The Minister shall review the current criteria in order to qualify for a Widow’s, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension, including the Non-Contributory and Contributory payments, specifically the marriage requirement and explore removing this clause to acknowledge long term partnerships and dependent children and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection within nine months of the passing of this Act.”.

Several cases have come to our attention where surviving partners have difficulty accessing the widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension because they were not married. It is an unfair anomaly and we ask that the Minister rectify it. I believe she said in the Dáil that she will feed in the report to the committee that has been set up to examine this issue. In that context, I am happy to withdraw the amendment.