Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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199. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reform legislation, such that there is no longer any discrimination against LGBT persons in the field of pensions, as recommended in the report of the United Nations working group, in its periodic review of human rights in Ireland in May 2016. [17380/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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My role as Minister in the field of pensions relates to issues affecting the civil and public service. The civil service operates Contributory Pension Schemes which provide benefits to spouses and/or children of deceased scheme members. In summary, when a member dies after retirement, a spouse's pension of up to one-half of the former member's pension is payable. Dependent children are also entitled to a child's pension.

Same sex married couples are afforded the same benefits, under the Civil Service Schemes and the Single Public Service Scheme, as married couples of the opposite sex. The Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 extended the benefits provided to spouses under pension schemes to civil partners and the Marriage Act 2015 gives effect to the referendum on marriage equality.