At present old age non-contributory pension is payable to people over 66 years of age living in the State who satisfy a means test. It is not possible to cost this proposal as this would depend on the knock-on effects to other social welfare payments and the effect it would have on the working population aged 60- 65. On the basis that those aged 60-65 who were not already in receipt of a social welfare pension would have an underlying entitlement to an old age non-contributory pension, the cost could be of the order of £480 million, 609 million. Any change in the qualifying age would be a matter to be considered in a budgetary context.