Michael Ferris
Question:4 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the practice was instituted of requiring applicants for child benefit to include the RSI number of their spouses on the application forms; the reason this practice was introduced; if, in light of the recent Government decision to discontinue the requirement for farmers applying for headage grant payments to supply their RSI numbers, he will discontinue the requirement in the case of child benefit requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.