asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, having regard to the serious hardship imposed on recipients of old age pensions, blind pensions, widows' and orphans' pensions and other categories of social benefit owing to the increased cost of living, he will introduce legislation to enable his officials to so vary their determinations on applications of means test as to allow for the effect of such increased cost on applicants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits: Means Test.
26.
May I remind the Deputy that less than five months ago the following social assistance payments were substantially increased, old age pensions, widows' non-contributory pensions and unemployment assistance. Furthermore, contrary to the premise on which the Deputy's question is based, the latest cost of living figure available, that for mid-August last, indicates a downward tendency. As the increases in social assistance payments to which I have referred are costing the general taxpayer about £1,300,000 a year it is not proposed to introduce legislation of the kind mentioned by the Deputy.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say what was the substantial increase?
£1,300,000.
I do not want the million. I want to know how much per head per week the old age pensioner got.
How many beans make five?
How much per head per week?
If, as a result of the increases in wages now, the cost of living goes up, surely the Minister will indicate what steps he will take——
The Deputy must put a question. He is making a speech.
He said he does not intend to introduce legislation, but the cost of living is certain to go up.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a number of people in the widowed class who have had no increase in their incomes and who were in receipt of a widow's pension, have had their widow's pension withdrawn without any change in their circumstances? Would that not indicate that there is a more rigorous application of the means test?
That does not arise from this question.
Is the Minister aware of the general demand in this respect throughout the country? If I may give him an instance, his own Party Ard Fheis this year demanded from the Government an examination of this proposal and an increase in these benefits.