asked the Minister for Social Welfare the extent to which the fall since 1955-56 of 0.7 per cent in the non-contributory social welfare recipients' share of the gross national product is attributable to causes other than the reduction in the number of non-contributory social welfare recipients.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Recipients.
26.
It is not possible to relate the reduction mentioned to specific causes, but I am satisfied that the main cause is the extension of social insurance cover.
Can the Minister say what is the difficulty? Surely it is known exactly what is now being paid under non-contributory social welfare benefits and it is simply a question of ascertaining what percentage of the gross national product that represents?
It is not known how many of those are in receipt of contributory old age pensions would otherwise have qualified for non-contributory pensions.