asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he will increase the widow's pension from £5 to £7 to correspond with the new allowance for deserted wives.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Widows' Pensions.
23.
There is no difference between the weekly rate of widow's non-contributory pension and the weekly rate of allowance for deserted wives paid by my Department.
Is it not a fact that the Department intend to increase the amount payable to a deserted wife from £5 to £7.50?
I do not see anything about that here.
It is a maintenance order, of course.
That is a separate question.
It is not a separate question. If maintenance is being increased in the case of a deserted wife does it not follow that a widow, who is to all intents and purposes in the same social position, should also have her maintenance increased?
The only difference is the widow cannot sue her husband.
Should she not have a similar allowance not alone for herself but also for her children from the Department of Social Welfare?
I have no such information before me.