asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider excluding consideration of vested cottages as property when assessing qualification for full benefit from the non-contributory old age pension.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Assessment of Means for Pensions.
7.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to a similar question on 23rd November, 1967.
I could not hear the Minister's reply but I anticipated that he would not consider excluding this particular item. Does he not think it is unfair in view of the fact that these people who have vested cottages have still got to make the repayments which, in many cases, are as much as if they were tenants of the cottages and had to pay rent? Would he not also further consider that vested cottages do not constitute property in respect of those people who have the non-contributory old age pension or the widow's pension because the cottages are, in fact, the property of the local authority, in most cases the county council?
I agree that if the repayments have not been completed they should be taken into consideration.
Am I correct in assuming that, up to recently, when a person made application to have a cottage vested in him and was making the repayments, he did not get the extra 5/- which was given in a Budget two or three years ago because having a vested cottage was regarded by the officials of the Department of Social Welfare as means?
That has been the position, but I would agree with the Deputy that, where the repayments have not been completed, that fact should be taken into account.
I do not know if the Minister has taken this decision in the past few days, but would he make this known to his officers?
I will arrange accordingly.
Thank you.