Vol. 512 No. 8
2 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has relaxed the rule whereby a widow with dependent children must give up her contributory widow's pension and switch to one parent allowance in order to qualify for community employ ment; and her views on whether this is a very anomalous rule. [27389/99]
Eligibility to participate in community employment was extended to widows-widowers with effect from 15 September 1999, subject to application of age criteria and of a qualifying period for eligibility as with unemployed persons and lone parents.
Previously this category was not eligible in their own right but could access the programme by changing from widow's-widower's pension to unemployment assistance-unemployment benefit or one parent family payment as appropriate.
Persons in receipt of widow's-widower's contributory pension will retain their existing pension entitlements on taking up a place on the community employment programme.
