The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one social welfare payment is payable to an individual.
One exception to this rule is made in the case of widows, widowers and other lone parents who are sick or unemployed. Where a person who is in receipt of a widow-widower's pension or one parent family payment satisfies the relevant contribution conditions, they may be entitled to receive disability benefit or unemployment benefit at half rate for a period of up to 15 months, in addition to their long-term pension payment. Furthermore, if they are entitled to a widow-widower's pension or one parent family payment at a reduced rate, for example on the basis of insufficient PRSI contributions or on account of means, the rate of that payment is also increased up to the maximum level for the duration of their claim for disability benefit or unemployment benefit.
These provisions discriminate positively in favour of widows, widowers and lone parents and, as such, any future changes would have to be examined not only in a budgetary context but in terms of the impact on issues such as equity and redistribution within the social welfare code generally.