asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons who applied for increases in (a) blind pensions, (b) non-contributory widows' pensions, and (c) non-contributory old age pensions since the 1st August, 1965; and the number of pensions granted in each category.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pension Increases.
83.
The numbers of letters received since 1st August, 1965, from persons who were granted only the 5/- increase, which were treated as applications for the 10/- increase, were as follows:—
Persons in receipt of (a) blind pensions 220; (b) non-contributory widows' pensions 1,014; (c) non-contributory old age pensions 3,393.
To date, an increase of 10/- per week has been granted in the case of 20 of the blind pensioners, 400 of the non-contributory widow pensioners, and 315 of the non-contributory old age pensioners.
84.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of maximum (a) blind pensions, (b) non-contributory old age pensions, and (c) non-contributory widows' pensions on the 1st August 1965; and the number of persons in each category (i) who received the maximum increase, (ii) who received partial increases, and (iii) who received no increase
Four thousand six hundred persons were in receipt of maximum blind pension at 1st August. Of these, 4,140 received a 10/- increase and 460 an increase of 5/-. The corresponding figures for non-contributory old age pensions are 94,760, 66,716 and 28,044 and for non-contributory widows' pensions 17,226, 12,375 and 4,851. Every pensioner received either 10/- or 5/- increase.
Does the Minister think it reasonable that the pension books of a large number of these people should be called into his Department and left in a pile until his officials waded through them so that numerous pensioners were left without any pension at all for several weeks?
I do not think that happened.
I am sure it happened. If the Minister inquires in his Department he will find that that is so.
That is a separate question.
It was a stupid thing to do.
It did not happen.
It did happen.