Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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1384. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the timeframe for the enactment of legislation implementing the Supreme Court decision in a case (details supplied); whether this legislation will be enacted with retrospective effect from January 2024, or if it will apply only from the date of enactment. [46297/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025 was enacted on 21 July 2025. The provisions of the Act commenced from that date.

My Department has begun processing claims for the Bereaved Partners (Contributory) Pension and is currently writing to those who submitted a claim following the Supreme Court decision in January 2024 seeking any additional information that may be necessary to process their claim. Anyone who thinks they may be entitled to a payment and has not submitted a claim should do so now. Claim forms are available to download from: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/forms/bereaved-partners-pension-application-form/

For any surviving qualified cohabitant who experienced a bereavement before 21 July 2025, they have six months to claim a Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension and if eligible, the payment will be backdated to the 22 January 2024 or the date of death, whichever is later.

I am also very pleased that as a result of this landmark legislation that surviving qualified cohabitants can now also access, for deaths since 21 July 2025, the Bereaved Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension and the Bereaved Parent's Grant.