asked the Minister for Social Welfare the examination, if any, that has been undertaken of the entire structure of the social welfare system over the past five years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Structure.
36.
The social welfare system is constantly under scrutiny with a view to its extension and improvement. Changes in the system usually involve additional cost and are dealt with in connection with the budget. From time to time, particular aspects of the system may be subjected to special examination as part of the general policy of development. Instances where such action was taken during the past five years were (a) the financing of social insurance leading to the introduction of the fully pay-related social insurance contributions system; (b) the question of a national income-related pension scheme; (c) the question of social insurance for the self-employed; (d) the removal of anomalies in the means test; (e) the development of the heating services; (f) measures to eliminate discrimination against women; (g) general improvements such as, in the current year, the reduction of the qualifying age for blind pension from 21 to 18 years, the extension of the definition of orphan in cases of desertion and the extension of the provision for payment of adult dependant allowances in respect of women having the care of children of persons receiving sickness or unemployment payments.