asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he has considered providing contributory and non-contributory old age pensions for single women over the age of sixty; and whether he intends to introduce legislation to this end.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensions for Single Women.
7.
The qualifying age for non-contributory old age pension has been seventy years since the commencement of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908.
In the course of the examination of the proposals which led to the introduction of old age (contributory) pensions under the Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1960, the question of the appropriate qualifying age for both contributory and non-contributory old age pension for men and women, whether married or single, was fully considered. It was then decided, that having regard to all the circumstances the existing pensionable age of seventy years should be adhered to for both types of pension, and for all persons. Nothing has since occurred to warrant a departure from that decision.