Same sex partners of people in workplace pension schemes can claim spouse's pension

Same sex partners of people in workplace pension schemes will be able to claim their spouse's pension, after a change in the law.

The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill contains a provision covering a small number of occupational pensions.

Last November the European Court of Justice ruled that Ireland was not in breach of equality laws and did not discriminate regarding same sex pensions.

Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar says they have amended the law.

"It's very tight it's very defined.

We're really just opening a very small window, three years, after civil partnership was created, three years after marriage equality was created to allow people to avail of a pension that can be inherited by their spouse," he said.