3AMeaning of senior next of kin

3A Meaning of senior next of kin

[Section 3A Inserted by No. 1 of 2015, s. 5, Applied:21 Apr 2015] For the purposes of this Act, the senior next of kin of a deceased person is –

(a) if a person was, immediately before the death of the deceased person, the only spouse of that deceased person, that spouse; or

(b) if the deceased person, at the time of his or her death, is survived by more than one person who would qualify as the deceased person's spouse, the last person to so qualify; or

(c) if the deceased person, at the time of his or her death, is survived by more than one person who would qualify as the deceased person's spouse and the spouse referred to in paragraph (b) is not available, another spouse of the deceased person if that spouse has the approval of the spouse referred to in paragraph (b) ; or

(d) [Section 3A Amended by No. 29 of 2017, Sched. 1, Applied:05 Sep 2017] if the person referred to in paragraph (a) , (b) or (c) is not available, a child of the deceased person if the child has attained the age of 18 years; or

(e) if the person referred to in paragraph (a) , (b) , (c) or (d) is not available, the person with whom the deceased person had a caring relationship, at the time of his or her death, which was the subject of a deed of relationship registered under Part 2 of the Relationships Act 2003 ; or

(f) if the person referred to in paragraph (a) , (b) , (c) , (d) or (e) is not available, a parent of the deceased person; or

(g) [Section 3A Amended by No. 29 of 2017, Sched. 1, Applied:05 Sep 2017] if the person referred to in , , , , or is not available, a sibling of the deceased person if the sibling has attained the age of 18 years; or