Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development to discuss Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny of Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025

The meeting at 9:30am in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will hear from representatives of Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC).

This will be followed at 11am with a separate engagement with representatives of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) to discuss their report ‘The effect of child-related benefits on child poverty and deprivation in Ireland’.

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy John Paul O’Shea said: “The Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension) Bill proposes to give effect to a Supreme Court decision in January 2024 regarding access to the Bereaved Partner’s Contributory Pension for surviving qualified cohabitants.

“The Bill proposes to extend eligibility to the payment to qualified cohabitants who are in an intimate and committed relationship for two years where there is a child or children of the relationship or five years if otherwise. The Committee welcomes this opportunity to meet with the Free Legal Advice Centres to discuss the proposed Bill ahead of Committee Stage.

“In our second session, the Committee looks forward to discussing the ESRI’s recent report ‘The effect of child-related benefits on child poverty and deprivation in Ireland’ with its authors. The report sets out the role played by Ireland’s current system of child-related cash and in-kind benefits in significantly reducing child income poverty and deprivation.”

The Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.