asked the Minister for Finance if in his budget he will make provision for the relief of widows who suffer disabilities under the existing taxation on pension schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Widows' Pensions.
9.
I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot give any indication in advance as to what proposals my financial statement may contain regarding matters of a budgetary nature.
10.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare how many of the estimated 127,000 widows in the State are in receipt of (a) (i) non-contributory and (ii) contributory widows' pensions, and (b) similar pensions together with orphans' pensions.
At 31st December, 1967, 18,495 widows were in receipt of widows' (non-contributory) pension and 46 549 were in receipt of widows' (contributory) pension, while 30,054 widows were receiving non-contributory old age pension and 2,922 old age (contributory) pension. These pensions included increases in respect of any qualified children of the widow.
At the same date, there were 95 orphans' (non-contributory) pensions and 273 orphans' contributory allowances in payment, but it is not known how many of these were in payment to widows.