Vol. 281 No. 3
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will alter the practice relating to joint pension books on the death of one of the pensioners to obviate the problems arising for the surviving pensioner who may be left without a pension and without free travel facilities for some time.
24.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in respect of cases in which an old age pension book is held jointly by husband and wife, he will indicate the average length of time which elapses between the surrender of the joint pension book on the death of one of the pensioners and the issue of a new book to the surviving pensioner.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.
I should point out that pensions, contributory or non-contributory, are not awarded on a joint entitlement basis. A husband and wife may each have independent entitlement to pension and each will then hold a separate pension book. In the event of the death of one or the other, the survivor continues to receive his or her pension without interruption. If the husband dies, the widow as a result of the improvements introduced into the schemes in July, 1974, can obtain, in addition, payment of his pension for a period of six weeks after his death.
The Deputy may have in mind the case of a wife who is not receiving pension independently from my Department but whose husband is receiving a contributory or non-contributory pension, including an increase of pension in respect of her.
The increase payable is, however, an integral part of his pension. In the event of her husband's death she may similarly receive payment of his pension, including the increase payable in respect of herself for the six weeks after his death, by notifying my Department of the date of his death and returning at the same time any pension book or books issued to him. Payment is made by the re-issue to her of her husband's pension book or books containing pay orders for the six week period after his death together with an authorisation enabling her to cash the pension orders at a post office. Initial steps are taken at the same time for the award to her of a widow's pension to come into payment in the seventh week after her husband's death. The procedure is a substantial improvement on the previous position and is working satisfactorily. I do not envisage the need for any alteration to it.
Free travel passes are now issued to all eligible persons who apply for them. Accordingly, if a widow has reached or was over pension age at the time of her husband's death she should already have her own free travel pass and will not consequently suffer any deprival of the free travel facilities. If she has not reached pension age she is not yet entitled to the facilities.
Statistics are not kept in my Department of the length of time taken in each case for the re-issue to a widow of her deceased husband's pension book or books with an authorisation enabling her to receive payment of pension for the period of six weeks after his death. I cannot accordingly supply the information requested by the Deputy but I can say that pension books in those cases are normally re-issued within two days of their receipt in my Department.
