Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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63. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend the widow’s pension to unmarried couples in certain circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25934/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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71. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to allow unmarried partners qualify for the widow's pension on the death of their partner in certain circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25899/17]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will make the widow’s pension payable to unmarried couples in certain circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25894/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 71 and 92 together.

In order to qualify for a widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension, a person must satisfy certain social insurance conditions and be a widow, widower or (since 1 January 2011) a surviving civil partner, and not be in a cohabiting relationship. The contributions must have been paid on one of the spouse/civil partners’ social insurance records and all must have been made before the death of the spouse/civil partner. Once in payment, the pension remains payable while the person remains widowed or a surviving civil partner.

The legal context governing relationships such as marriage is broader than the social protection system. Where that context changes, the social welfare code is examined for appropriate changes, e.g., the scheme was introduced for widows on 1 January 1936; it was extended to widowers on 28 October 1994 in light of gender equality issues that had not been considered in the 1930s; and extended to surviving civil partners from 1 January 2011 following the introduction of civil partnership.

Entering into a marriage or civil partnership is a legal act, which confers both rights and obligations on both parties, which do not exist in a legal sense between co-habiting couples. This is among the reasons that the introduction of civil partnership and the subsequent extension of marriage rights to same-sex couples were of such significance. Widows, widowers and surviving civil partners, who become bereaved, therefore, in addition to their personal loss, also lose someone who had legal duties towards them. In some cases those legal duties were, in part, financial in nature, and the social welfare code recognises that potential loss by providing a pension to them, subject to certain conditions.

A surviving cohabitant who was not married to their deceased former partner may be entitled to other social welfare payments if he or she has an income need, e.g., One-Parent Family Payment, Jobseekers Benefit or Allowance or Family Income Supplement. Payment of Child Benefit would continue, where applicable.

In terms of other income supports, supplementary welfare allowance is a means tested weekly payment, subject to certain terms and conditions, which provides a basic income support to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their needs.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.