asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of the decreased purchasing power of wages, and the consequent difficulty which non-manual workers experience in making provision for their widows and dependent children, he intends to introduce proposals for legislation to raise the limit of remuneration for insurability under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, so as to include non-manual workers in receipt of remuneration in excess of £250 per annum.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Non-Manual Workers.
Proposals of the nature referred to in the question cannot be considered in isolation. The scheme of contributory widows' and orphans' pensions is interlocked with the national health insurance scheme as persons insured under the latter scheme are insurable under the pensions scheme. Consideration must also be given to preserving, where necessary, uniformity between these schemes and the unemployment insurance code. No doubt consideration will be given to proposals of the nature referred to by the Deputy, as well as other aspects of the problem, when the various factors affecting post-emergency conditions can be more clearly appraised.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say what he means by "no doubt"?
It is perfectly clear.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say how close the Department is to this appraisal process?
I am not able to say.