asked the Minister for Finance what progress, if any, has been made by the Interdepartmental Committee set up to examine the question of family allowances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Family Allowances.
In a letter sent to him by my Department on the 29th October last the Deputy was informed of certain difficulties arising from the inadequacy of existing statistics which operated to delay the work of the Interdepartmental Committee. I can only say that the committee is endeavouring to complete its investigations as speedily as possible.
Can the Minister give any forecast of a date on which the Interdepartmental Committee will have any facts or statistics secured? I could accumulate the statistics myself, if I had the time, of the number of children who would be eligible for family allowances.
I know that the committee is working hard and meeting at least a couple of times every week.
Does the Minister realise that by a careful perusal of the published official statistics, it would be possible to extract the number of children who would be eligible for family allowances? Surely that has been done?
The officials dealing with it are highly competent officials and they know that I am anxious to have the work speeded up.
Has the Minister asked if any information at all has been collected and, if so, that it should be produced to him——
I have not.
——because the Minister will remember that he said that as soon as any concrete information was available it would be passed on to those who are interested? To date, nothing has been passed on. Surely, there must be something after 12 months' investigation?
There has not been 12 months' investigation.
Let us say six months. Surely there must be something? Will the Minister inquire into it?
I will.