Social Welfare Eligibility
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-09
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Maria Byrne (FG), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. I am grateful for the Minister's note to me to say he could not be here. I thank the Minister of State for taking his place.
There is an anomaly in the eligibility criteria for the living alone allowance. Retired teachers do not receive their pension from the Department of Social Protection. They have the same cost-of-living expenses we all face but they do not qualify for the living alone allowance because their pension is paid by the Department of education. That should be reviewed. Retired teachers still have their pension paid under the old Department of education contract. The fact they are not in receipt of a qualifying pension from the Department of Social Protection means they do not qualify for the allowance.
Many retired teachers live alone, with some being widows and others never having married. They gave the same service to the State as anybody else but the fact they do not have a qualifying pension from the Department of Social Protection makes them ineligible for the living alone allowance. I would like this to be reviewed.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:11+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-09