asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, to alter or to abolish the present structure of old age pension committees.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pension Committees.
16.
I have no plans at present to alter or abolish the structure of pension committees.
I was a member of one of those committees. As I am speaking to a Minister who may have been a member of one of them, would he not agree that those committees have very little power and very little relevance to the present day situation? Would there not be a great improvement if those committees were given real power or were removed from the decision making process?
The Government of which the Deputy was a supporter although not a member had a look at abolishing them and decided it was not worth the trouble.
When it suits the Minister he can be very critical of that Government and also when it suits him he can run for cover. Will he stand on his own two feet and decide whether or not there was any need to carry out a review?
I have answered the question from my point of view and I have said that I have no plans at present to abolish the structure of pension committees. I am now replying to a separate question from the Deputy suggesting that that is not the proper view to take and that some other view should be taken. I am saying the Coalition Government did not feel it necessary to take any action to abolish those committees.
What happened to that Government?
I do not think it was failure to abolish the old age pension committees that brought about their downfall.
The Minister blamed them for nearly everything else. It is a wonder he did not include that.