asked the Minister for Finance whether consideration has been given to the question of making provision for the working classes in the Saorstát in regard to old age pensions and widows' and orphans' old age contributory pensions as favourable as those enjoyed by similar classes in Northern Ireland.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PENSIONS FOR WORKING CLASSES.
As indicated by me in the course of the debate on old age pensions in this House on the 1st instant, the state of our finances is not such as to permit of the restoration of all existing old age pensions to the rates which held good immediately prior to the coming into operation of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1924. This being so, detailed consideration has not been given to other proposals of the kind mentioned by the Deputy, which would involve further additional expenditure of a substantial amount.