Written Answers Nos. 131-150
131. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that ongoing pension reviews of the over 80’s are causing great anxiety and distress; if he will act to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21717/25]
View answerMy Department has a commitment to an annual level of control reviews and operates an ongoing continuous schedule of control and review activity for those in receipt of a pension.
The objective is to ensure that customers on a pension, regardless of age, continue to receive their correct rate of payment over the lifetime of their claim. On review, claimants on a means tested payment or in receipt of a means tested allowance may have their weekly payment rate unchanged or adjusted upwards or downwards as appropriate, based on their up-to-date means assessment.
Reviews can arise from customer requests for a review of their claim, from targeted and random case selections, or where specific information comes to the attention of the Department. Factors such as length of time since last review, or where information is received from other agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners, or from members of the public, can also trigger control reviews.
Information letters are issued annually from the State Pension Non-Contributory areas to a proportion of recipients, on a rolling basis, to remind them of the conditions for continuing receipt of their payment and their obligation to notify the Department of changes in their circumstances in a timely manner.
My Department understands the many pressures faced by people and always seeks to ensure that reviews are processed quickly and efficiently. Each decision made following a review is open to a review and/or an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals office.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
132. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Social Protection the current average processing time for a decision by the Social Welfare Appeals Office; the number of appeals currently being considered by the office; the efforts being made to reduce the processing time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21627/25]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
As of the 31st of March 2025, the current processing times for appeals is 20.9 weeks. The Appeals Office current has 18,934 open appeals.
The Chief Appeals Officer has put in place measures to deal with the increase in appeals received during 2024. 20 additional staff were assigned and attended training during December 2024 and January 2025. They have now been appointed as Appeals Officers and are making appeal decisions. In addition new Appeals Regulations have been signed to come into effect from the 28th of April which provide, among other things, for simpler processes and specified response times. These should further help to reduce processing times.
The time taken to process appeals reflects the need to consider each decision in detail and, in many cases, to examine additional information submitted at appeal stage, including in some cases requesting further information either via correspondence or via oral hearing. The Chief Appeals Officer continues to monitor processing times and every effort is made to reduce the time taken to process an appeal. However, the drive for efficiency must be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and made in accordance with the provisions set out in primary legislation and regulations.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
133. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to examine improvements to key ancillary benefits, such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance, to support vulnerable groups. [21603/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government has committed to protect core welfare rates while ensuring that available resources are targeted at vulnerable groups.
As referenced by the Deputy, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine key ancillary benefits such as the fuel allowance, household benefits package and living alone allowance to support vulnerable groups.
This is in fact an ongoing activity as part of the Department's budget planning each year. For example there have been a number of expansions under recent budgets to the Fuel Allowance Payment to make it more available to Vulnerable Groups.
In January 2023, enhanced Fuel Allowance measures for people aged 70 years and over were introduced. In Budget 2025, these enhanced Fuel Measures were extended to all those aged 66 or older.
These measures include a new means threshold of €524 for a single person and €1,048 for a couple. In addition, the amount of capital that is disregarded in the means test for Fuel Allowance was increased from €20,000 to €50,000. Savings over €50,000 are assessed on a proportionate basis only.
Other measures include:
• The weekly means threshold for those aged under 70 was also increased by €80 to €200 above the appropriate rate of Contributory State Pension.
• Disablement Benefit and Half-rate Carers Allowance payments are now disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes.
• Disablement Benefit also no longer disbars a household from receiving the Fuel Allowance payment.
• Budget 2025 has also allowed for Carers Allowance to be considered a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance from January 2025.
I will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to consider if improvements can be made to ensure that these benefits continue to target vulnerable groups. Any future decisions will, of course, have to take account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
134. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of schools in Limerick and the total number of schools in Clare that are now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21539/25]
View answerFollowing my announcement on the 11 April 2025, there are 2,850 primary schools now participating in the Hot School Meals Programme for the current academic school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children from September 2025.
The total number of schools eligible for Hot School Meals in County Limerick is 130 and 102 in County Clare. I would encourage any schools that are not yet part of the scheme to submit an application to my Department.
135. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of schools in Kilkenny, and Carlow, that are now eligible to receive hot school meals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21379/25]
View answerThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Following my announcement on the 11 April 2025, there are 2,850 primary schools now participating in the Hot School Meals Programme for the current academic school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children from September 2025.
The total number of schools eligible for Hot School Meals in County Kilkenny is 72 and there are 43 in County Carlow.
Any remaining primary schools in Counties Kilkenny and Carlow who have yet to express an interest, will be eligible to join the programme from September 2025.
136. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review whether current core social welfare rates are meeting people’s basic needs, particularly in areas like Dublin Bay north where the cost of living continues to rise and many families are struggling with rent, energy bills, and food costs; to consider targeted increases for those on the lowest incomes as part of Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21620/25]
View answerAs Minister for Social Protection, I am fully committed to making the case for a fair budget that protects the people most in need in our society - particularly families on low incomes and those people, including pensioners and carers who are dependent on social welfare payments.As part of Budget 2025, a €2.6 billion Social Protection package was secured. This was, for the third year in a row, the largest in the history of the State.This package provided a mixture of lump sum cost of living payments, along with across the board €12 weekly rate increase in primary payments.
As well as one-off measures and rate increases, Budget 2025 included the introduction of a Newborn Baby Grant; an increase to the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance, which becomes a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance; increases to the Working Family Payment income thresholds; the extension of the Hot School Meals scheme to all remaining Primary Schools; and the commencement of the Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit Scheme.
Each year, the ESRI produces a post-Budget analysis of the main tax and welfare changes in the Budget. This analysis shows that the package of measures introduced under Budget 2025 will result in average gains in income for most households next year. It also shows that incomes have remained largely stable since 2020 despite a number of crises including the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in the cost of living.
I am therefore satisfied that the most recent Budget protected the most vulnerable in our society, particularly children in low-income families.
In July, I will meet with many stakeholders at our annual pre-budget forum with a view to continuing this progress. I will listen to views on their priorities in the forthcoming budget. This will be a key input to my thinking on Budget formulation and the measures that I will bring forward for consideration of Government.
137. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline his Department’s supports and schemes for employing people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21697/25]
View answerMy Department provides a range of employment supports to people with disabilities.
My Department launched the Work and Access scheme in July 2024. This new scheme offers seven supports to help reduce and remove barriers in the workplace for people with a disability. Grants are available for communication supports, workplace adaptations and training. Supports are available for both the business premises and remote workplaces.
In December 2023, my Department established the WorkAbility programme to support people with disabilities into employment through 57 local, regional and national projects. The programme is running from January 2024 to December 2028. It aims to support over 13,000 disabled people progress their training and employment ambitions over its lifetime.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme supports employers to hire people with disabilities through a subsidy. In August 2024, my Department published a review of the scheme to make it more accessible. In April 2024, the minimum hours for the scheme were reduced from 21 to 15 hours. The scheme was expanded to those on Partial Capacity Benefit and to the community and voluntary sector. An additional €3.7 million has been allocated to implement the review’s recommendations.
Employability is a service that, through a referral from Intreo, jobseekers with disabilities can work with a Job Coach who provides pre-employment and in-employment support and assistance. It also acts as a recruitment advice service for the business community and provides employers with access to a pool of potential employees.
In July 2022, my Department launched Early Engagement. The scheme aims to proactively engage disabled people in a ‘return to work’ process in the early stages of disability or illness. All engagement is on a voluntary basis. Nearly 28,000 people have been contacted by specially trained Intreo staff and nearly 3,000 referrals have been made for further education or employment supports since the scheme launched.
Other schemes my Department provides for employing people with disabilities include the Community Employment Scheme, the Rural Social Scheme and the Work Placement Experience Programme.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
138. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify how the new pay-linked jobseeker's benefit will be applied to someone who is working in the North of Ireland and is made redundant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21654/25]
View answerJobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is a new social insurance income support which has replaced the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for people who are fully unemployed and whose first day of unemployment is on or after 31 March 2025. Pay-Related Benefit means that the rate of income support is directly linked to previous earnings subject to a maximum payment amount.
Our bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom, the Convention on Social Security, sets out the social security provisions for United Kingdom and Irish citizens residing within the Common Travel Area. Article 21 of the agreement sets out the arrangements for unemployment benefits. If a citizen residing in the Republic of Ireland loses their employment and becomes fully unemployed, their entitlement to unemployment benefit is not affected by the fact they were employed in the North of Ireland. This means that people resident in the Republic of Ireland, having worked in the North of Ireland and being made redundant, will be eligible for the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme.
This new payment is directly linked to previous earnings and we will be requesting details of a person's earnings in the relevant 12-month period in order to assess their rate of payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
139. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to reform the disability allowance payment to remove the current means test for the payment, in line with Programme for Government commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21687/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future commits to reform the Disability Allowance Payment and remove anomalies in the current means test; there is no commitment to remove the means test.
Over the last four budgets the Government have progressively improved payment rates and income disregards for disabled people. The weekly payment rates for Disability Allowance have increased by €41 in that time. The earnings disregard has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently. This enables those in receipt of Disability Allowance to earn more without having a negative impact on their means tested payment. It means that people can currently earn up to €165 per week and keep their payment in full and can earn up to €517.60 per week and keep a small portion of their payment.
Any further changes to the means test will be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
140. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting times for disability allowance appeals and the steps being taken to expedite this process for applicants. [21008/25]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
As of the 31st of March 2025, the current processing time for Disability Allowance appeals is 22.9 weeks.
The Chief Appeals Officer has put in place measures to deal with the increase in appeals received during 2024. 20 additional staff were assigned and attended training during December 2024 and January 2025. They have now been appointed as Appeals Officers and are making appeal decisions. In addition, new Appeals Regulations have been signed to come into effect from the 28th of April which provide, among other things, for simpler processes and specified response times. These should further help to reduce processing times.
The time taken to process appeals reflects the need to consider each decision in detail and, in many cases, to examine additional information submitted at appeal stage, including in some cases allowing time for the customer to obtain further medical reports or documentation. The Chief Appeals Officer continues to monitor processing times and every effort is made to reduce the time taken to process an appeal. However, the drive for efficiency must be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and made in accordance with the provisions set out in primary legislation and regulations.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
141. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will act to ensure that there will be no unnecessary reviews undertaken of payments to people with acute disabilities or of payments to people aged over 80; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21696/25]
View answerMy Department has a commitment to an annual level of control reviews and operates an ongoing continuous schedule of control and review activity for scheme recipients, including those in receipt of disability or pension payments. The objective is to ensure that customers continue to receive their correct rate of payment over the lifetime of their claim. Reviews can arise from customer requests for a review of their claim, from targeted and random case selections, or where specific information comes to the attention of the Department. Factors such as length of time since last review, or where information is received from other agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners, or from members of the public, can also trigger control reviews.On review, claimants on a means-tested payment may have their weekly payment rate unchanged or adjusted upwards or downwards as appropriate, based on their up-to-date means assessment. People on disability-related schemes may also have their claim reviewed to ensure they continue meet the qualifying medical criteria for the scheme. However, where a Department Medical Assessor is of the opinion that no further review is required, no medical control review will be undertaken. Information letters or MyWelfare notifications are regularly issued from the State Pension Non-Contributory and Disability Allowance sections of my Department to a proportion of recipients, on a rolling basis, to remind them of the conditions for continuing receipt of their payment and their obligation to notify the Department of changes in their circumstances in a timely manner.My Department understands the many pressures faced by people and always seeks to ensure that reviews are processed quickly and efficiently. Each decision made following a review is open to a review and/or an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals office.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
144. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the simplified processes and specified response times under the new appeals regulations effective from April 2025; how these new regulations will reduce current lengthy processing times for appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21693/25]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
The Social Welfare Appeals Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 744 of 2024) were signed into law in December 2024 and will come into effect from Monday, 28 April 2025. These new regulations apply to appeals where both the notice of appeal is received and the decision under appeal is dated on or after this commencement date.
The purpose of these updated regulations is to modernise and streamline the social welfare appeals process, providing greater clarity, improved consistency, and more defined timeframes. This is expected to reduce the length of time it takes for appeals to be processed and decided.
The key changes that were introduced under the new regulations include:
The time limit for lodging an appeal has increased from 21 to 60 days, with provision for the Chief Appeals Officer to accept late appeals up to 180 days in certain circumstances. This will allow customers a longer period to prepare their appeal and gather any additional documentation. A significant proportion of the current appeals processing time can be attributed to time taken by the customer to obtain and submit reports and documentation they wish to rely on.
There are now specified response times. The Social Welfare Appeals Office must transmit the notice of appeal to the relevant scheme area within 14 days of receiving the notice of appeal. The scheme area then has 21 days to either revise the decision or provide the necessary documentation to the Appeals Office. An extension to these timelines may apply if for example new medical evidence is received and a further medical opinion needs to be requested. These defined deadlines are designed to reduce delays and improve overall processing efficiency.
The new regulations now formalise the requirement for the scheme area within the Department to carry out a review of the initial Deciding Officer’s decision. The Department may revise the decision on receipt of the notice and grounds of appeal. This should in time reduce the number of appeals that require consideration by an Appeals Officer.
Appellants and other parties must respond to requests for further information from the Appeals Officer within specified timeframes to avoid unnecessary delays. There is also now a legal entitlement to request an oral hearing. While the Appeals Officer retains discretion on whether to hold a hearing, a refusal must be accompanied by reasons, ensuring greater transparency.
To support the implementation of these reforms, updates have been made to the MyWelfare application process and the paper application form. In addition, all of our public information has been updated on gov.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
145. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address the significant delays in processing disability allowance, carer’s allowance, and domiciliary care allowance applications for residents in Dublin Bay north, with many constituents waiting in excess of 14 weeks for decisions; the actions being taken to recruit additional staff, streamline the assessment process, and ensure timely support for those in urgent need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21621/25]
View answerThe Department is committed to providing a quality service to its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the differing eligibility criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of health-related schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested schemes can also require more detailed investigations and interaction with the customer, thereby lengthening the decision-making process.
Currently, the average processing time for Carer’s Allowance and Disability Allowance is 5 weeks and for Domiciliary Care Allowance is 4 weeks.
Processing times are calculated on the overall number of applications received. Department systems cannot provide processing times using specific address detail only.
Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised. In addition, the staffing needs of all areas are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who are awaiting a payment under other State schemes.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
146. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline his plans to introduce a targeted child benefit payment during the lifetime of this Government; the work his Department has carried out on developing such a payment to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21716/25]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their nineteenth birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. It is paid in respect of almost 1.3 million children. Expenditure on the scheme is estimated at over €2.2 billion in 2025.
It is important to note that, in addition to Child Benefit, families on low incomes may be able to avail of other social welfare payments:
• the Child Support Payment with primary social welfare payments;
• the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children; and
• the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with children.
Addressing child poverty is a key priority for the Government. That is why the Programme for Government 2025, includes a range of measures to support children and their families.
One such commitment is to explore a targeted Child Benefit Payment and examine the interaction this would have with existing targeted supports to reduce Child Poverty such as the Working Family Payment and Child Support Payment.
My Department is progressing this work, having regard to the available body of evidence, including the work undertaken previously by the ESRI, The National Economic and Social Council and the Commission on Taxation and Welfare.
I trust this clarifies the position.
147. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the processing of applications in the case of a person (details supplied), and others, for disability allowances is taking so long; and the reason the appeals process is taking so long. [21605/25]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions.
I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal for the above motioned was received and registered in that office on 11th December 2024 and in accordance with the statutory requirements the relevant Departmental papers and the comments of the Deciding Officer on the matters raised in the appeal were sought.
An Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision.
The Chief Appeals Officer has put in place measures to deal with the increase in appeals received during 2024. 20 additional staff were assigned and attended training during December 2024 and January 2025. They have now been appointed as Appeals Officers and are making appeal decisions. In addition new Appeals Regulations have been signed to come into effect from the 28 April which provide, among other things, for simpler processes and specified response times. These should further help to reduce processing times.
The time taken to process appeals reflects the need to consider each decision in detail and, in many cases, to examine additional information submitted at appeal stage, including in some cases requesting further information either via correspondence or via oral hearing. The Chief Appeals Officer continues to monitor processing times and every effort is made to reduce the time taken to process an appeal. However, the drive for efficiency must be balanced with the competing demand to ensure that decisions are consistent and made in accordance with the provisions set out in primary legislation and regulations.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
148. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection the average processing time of an additional needs payment in Cork city. [21370/25]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet expenses that an eligible person cannot pay from their weekly income. The ANP scheme is demand led and administered by Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) in the Community Welfare Service (CWS), taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
My Department cannot provide a breakdown analysis of average claim processing times specific to Cork City however, work on hands nationally for ANPs is within the scheme's normal processing levels and fully completed applications, where the required documentation is supplied, are generally processed within ten days. Where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. CWOs are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.
When considering an application from people in financial difficulty for any payment under the SWA scheme, the CWO must consider all of the relevant circumstances when examining a case in determining the most appropriate scheme type and level of assistance required. The CWO may ask for a number of supporting documents to ensure the customer receives a level of payment appropriate to their needs. Where an application cannot be finalised promptly, the delay is normally due to the need for additional information or documentation and the time it takes for the information to be provided. Upon receipt of this information, the application is then processed quickly.
The CWS operates services every day from the Intreo Centre at Abbeycourt House in Cork City, where a CWO is available there to deal with customers, including any person who presents with an urgent or immediate need.
The CWS is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
149. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the review of the nutritional requirements and quality of food provided under the hot school meal programme; if there is a timeline for these standards to be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21729/25]
View answerThere is a nutritional standard in place for the School Meals Programme since it’s inception. A specific standard was set for School Meals under the Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. A technical Nutrition Sub Group comprised of Dietitians from the following organisations was involved in developing these standards:
• The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,
• The HSE,
• Safefood, and
• The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
These standards are available to all schools, organisations and suppliers and are publicly available available on gov.ie
Nutritional standards are a priority for me and for the Government. I have asked for a review of the scheme’s nutritional standards, and this will be conducted by a dietician who will be supervised by the Department of Health and in coordination with the Interdepartmental Group on School Meals. I have asked for a report on the nutritional standards be submitted to me by the end of the year.
In the meantime, food that is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt will be removed from the school menus by September 2025. Up to now this food had been permitted once a week at most and only when selected by the child's parents.
I will continue to expand and improve the Free Hot School Meals programme and ensure that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals, the dietary requirements of students, the reduction food waste and the use recyclable packaging as outlined in the Programme for Government.
150. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that qualified surviving cohabitants bereaved before January 22nd 2024 are not entitled to receive retrospective bereaved partner’s pension payments from before that date; if the Minister is aware of the number of qualified surviving cohabitants in this situation; if he is aware of the hardship endured by qualified surviving cohabitants over the years due to lack of access to a bereaved partner’s pension; if he will consider backdating payments to all qualified surviving cohabitants who apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21760/25]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025 is currently before the Oireachtas.
When enacted, the Bill proposes to expand eligibility to the Widows, Widower's and Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension to qualified cohabitants. The Bill is aligned with the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010, which provides for a couple to become qualified cohabitants where they have lived together in an intimate and committed relationship for a period of 2 years or more where there are children of the relationship, or 5 years if otherwise.
The Bill proposes that to be eligible for the payment there is no limit on the date when the death of a qualified cohabitant occurred, provided the criteria was met at that time and eligibility continues at the date of claim.
It is proposed that payment of the Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension will commence from the date of judgment in the case of a death that occurred prior to that date because this is the date when the existing law was found to be inconsistent with the Constitution, and from the date of death for claims after 22 January 2024.
It is very difficult to predict the number of people who may become entitled under the scheme as there is limited data on cohabiting couples and whether they would meet the proposed criteria that is set out to be considered a qualified cohabitant. Therefore it is not possible to estimate the number of surviving qualified cohabitants that suffered a bereavement prior to 22 January 2024. From applications received by my Department to date, I can confirm that approximately 160 relate to a death prior to 2024.
For those surviving qualified cohabitants who were in need of financial supports, my Department operates a number of other schemes including contributory and non-contributory State pensions and working age payments including the One-Parent Family Payment.
Furthermore, my Department operates Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people of any age, who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
