Questions

122. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider introducing legislation so that the bereaved partner’s contributory pension does not reduce the tax credits or tax rate band of a working recipient (details supplied); if he will consider treating this pension in the same way as other social welfare payments that are exempt from income tax; if the Government is currently revie…

288. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of lowering the retirement age to 65. [54017/26]

202. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the first- and full-year cost of restoring the right to retire at 65 and reintroducing the State pension. [31187/25]

604. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that entitlement to survivor's pensions was expanded to included divorced people as part of a suite of measures in the mid-1990s to ensure that "no spouse would lose out in terms of his or her social welfare entitlements on becoming divorced" (details supplied); if he still supports that policy position; the rationale for reducing the…

605. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that people who suffer the loss of a second spouse or civil partner may access their original survivor's pension or rate of pension pursuant to section 124(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005; if he is aware that the original policy rationale behind this provision was to ensure that the "pension position of these people wi…

606. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware that divorced and separated people whose former partner dies after the enactment of the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025 (as currently drafted) will no longer have an entitlement to a survivor's pension; if his Department has undertaken any risk assessment or poverty-proofing process concerning the proposals to re…

607. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department has undertaken any human rights and equality impact assessment concerning the proposals to reduce the social welfare entitlements of divorced and separated people whose former partner has died in the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025; if he is aware that undertaking such an assessment is consistent with his Depa…

608. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who were divorced or separated from their former spouse or civil partner at the time of their death who then began receiving a widows, widower's or surviving civil partner's (contributory) pension in each of the years 2019 to 2024; the number of those claims included an increase in respect of a qualified child or children; the t…

609. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who suffered a second bereavement and who re-commenced receipt of a widows, widower's or surviving civil partner's (contributory) pension (or higher rate of pension) pursuant to section 124(4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 in each of the years 2019 to 2024; the number of those claims included an increase in respec…

610. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline any estimates or projections available to his Department concerning the annual cost to his Department, the Exchequer and the Social Insurance Fund of expanding the scope of widows, widower's or surviving civil partner's (contributory) pension schemes to include qualified cohabitants (as per the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) …

611. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection to outline any estimates or projections available to his Department concerning the annual savings to his Department, the Exchequer and the Social Insurance Fund of reducing the scope of widows, widower's or surviving civil partner's (contributory) pension schemes to exclude divorced people, separated people and people who have suffered a second bere…

633. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first-year and full-year cost of increasing State pension payments by €1. [25923/25]

1463. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the substantial reduction in income for some recipients of the widow’s/widower’s/surviving civil partner’s contributory pension when they reach the age of 66 and transition to the State pension and the hardship incurred as a result; if he is aware that this disproportionately affects women; if he will review this policy with a vie…

504. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration has been given to extending the annual cost of disability support payment to persons in receipt of the State pension; the form this consideration has taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15127/25]