asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of (i) unemployment assistance and (ii) non-contributory widows' and orphans pensions, where the number of qualified children is (a) three (b) four (c) five (d) six (e) seven and (f) over seven.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
27.
As regards unemployment assistance, the 28th April, 1962, is the latest date for which information is available. On that date the particulars requested at (a), (b) and (c) were, respectively, 1,091, 828 and 656. Separate figures for (d), (e) and (f) are not compiled, but, on the date in question, 972 recipients of unemployment assistance had 6 or more qualified children.
As regards widows' and orphans' non-contributory pensions, the latest date for which information is available is the 31st March, 1962. On that date, the numbers of persons in the categories in question were 478, 274, 161, 74, 34 and 40 respectively.
28.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the increases in non-contributory old age and blind pensions, non-contributory widows' and orphans' pensions, unemployment assistance and children's allowances in each of the years 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1951.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—
|
Year |
Old Age and Blind Pensions (non-contributory) |
Widows' and Orphans' (non-contributory) pensions |
Unemployment Assistance |
Children's Allowance |
||||
|
Widow |
Widow and one child |
Widow and two children |
Each other child |
Orphan |
||||
|
WEEKLY INCREASES |
||||||||
|
1948 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— (b) |
— |
|
1949 |
Urban Areas |
County |
Boroughs |
|||||
|
2/6(a) |
2/6 |
3/- |
6/- |
— |
1/6 |
— |
— |
|
|
Rural Areas |
Urban |
Areas |
||||||
|
5/-(a) |
4/- |
6/6 |
9/- |
6d. |
2/- |
|||
|
Rural |
Towns |
|||||||
|
2/6 |
4/- |
6/6 |
6d. |
1/- |
||||
|
Other Rural Areas |
||||||||
|
2/- |
4/6 |
9/6 |
1/6 |
2/- |
||||
|
1950 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
1951 |
2/6 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
(a) The Social Welfare Act, 1948, revoked cash supplements with effect from January, 1949, and raised the maximum amount payable to an old age pensioner from 15/- per week in urban areas (10/- pension plus 5/- cash supplement) and 12/6d. per week in rural areas (10/- pension plus 2/6d. cash supplement) to 17/6d. per week in all areas. Pensioners with dependants who had been receiving more by way of pension and supplement than 17/6d., or other appropriate weekly rate payable from 7th January, 1949, did not gain any increase but were allowed to retain the greater amount.
(b) Cash supplements were payable in addition to unemployment assistance up to 17th August, 1948. The Social Welfare Act, 1948, revoked the provisions of Orders under which these supplements were paid and merged the amounts thereof with unemployment assistance as from 18th August, 1948. The change did not result in any increase in the amount payable to recipients of unemployment assistance.
Question No. 29 postponed.