asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for an investigation to be made into the living standards and patterns of consumption of old age pensioners and their families.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Living Standard of Old Age Pensioners.
58.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question on the 24th October last in which I intimated that the report of an interdepartmental committee which was already examining the question of the care of the aged was awaited. In these circumstances I do not propose to arrange for a further investigation as suggested by the Deputy.
The Minister understands that pending the receipt of that report, a great many people are being undernourished?
I do not agree at all.
Indeed, they are. This was discovered in Limerick recently.
That report was actually published after we had come to the rescue of these same people, very generously, in the last Budget. The investigation took place before the last Budget and that was something that was not made clear at the time.
What does the Minister think of a man, his wife and one child living on 30/- a week? This happens.
Not at all.
I will give the Minister the name and address.
I would be interested to know of any case.
To be quite fair, this is not the Minister's Department. The 30/- a week is home assistance for a man, his wife and one child. There are many thousands like this.
This is not a matter for the Minister.