asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people in the State presently in receipt of old age pension.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pension.
55.
At present there are 194,500 persons in the State in receipt of old age pension. Of these 62,500 are in receipt of contributory old age pension and 132,000 in receipt of noncontributory old age pension.
Can the Minister tell us what the number would be if the old age pension age were reduced by one year?
That is a separate question.
Will the Chair let the Minister answer the question?
I do not like the practice of just asking any question whether it is relevant or not.
This information is surely in the Minister's file.
If one takes as a yardstick the retirement pensions which are payable at the age of 65 to insured workers who retire from insurable employment and satisfy the statutory contribution conditions, on 29 February 1980 there were 31,000 retirement pensions in payment. Some of these pensioners are over pension age and should be classed as old age pensioners, but as the rates of old age and retirement pensions are the same there is nothing to be gained from changing the pensioners from one category to another. It is estimated that approximately 28,500 retirement pensioners are over 66 years of age. I would have to get more specific information for the Deputy on that.