Vol. 442 No. 3
84 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Social Welfare with reference to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork who failed to claim contributory widow's pension when she became eligible for this and other such cases; if he intends changing the legislation to allow back-dated payments of such pensions in excess of the present three month period.
Under the regulations a claim for widow's pension must normally be made not later than three months following the death of a spouse. If a claim is made outside the three-month period and there is good reason for the delay the pension is back-dated beyond the three months, but in no case can payment be back-dated more than six months prior to the date of claim. In the case in question the payment was back-dated for six months.
It is considered that the present arrangements are generally reasonable.
