andMr. Tully asked the Minister for Finance if he will make arrangements to have pensions to the widows of civil servants and local authority officials paid every week in view of the fact that in many cases the pension involved is relatively small.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Payment of Widows' Pensions.
47.
Civil Service pensions are normally paid monthly. To pay pensions to the widows of civil servants every week would require additional staff and would increase administrative costs. However, where a pension is less than £10 a week payment may be made twice monthly if the pensioner so requests. The manner of payment of pensions to widows of local authority officials is a matter for the local authority concerned.
Does the Minister realise that a number of these widows were in receipt heretofore of a pension amounting to £3 or £4 which was paid weekly? Now the pensions have been reduced somewhat because the means test has been applied following the extension to them of Civil Service pensions. These people who were in receipt of weekly amounts of widows' and orphans' pensions now get £10 or £12 monthly and it is a great hardship on them to have to wait. Would the Minister not make some effort in respect of those who have not got other means, particularly those who were in receipt of widows' and orphans' pensions?
It is not an easy matter. If we are to do it in general it will involve heavy extra administrative costs even though there is not any great general demand. Even if we do incur heavy extra administrative costs, as far as we can see not many would avail of it.
This has been brought to my notice by a number of people who had £3 or £4 a week heretofore.
We will keep it under review.
Oh, no. Try to do something. "Review" means anything.
Every Deputy in the House knows that the cost of public services is increasing enormously year by year and one does not lightly undertake further administrative costs unless they can be shown to be genuinely necessary. As far as we can see there is no genuine necessity or urgency about this.
The Minister says that because he does not understand what it would be to try to keep a house on a small sum like £3 or £4 a week.
The Deputy would be surprised to know the circumstances in which I grew up and what we lived on when I was growing up.
Quite a long time ago.
Not so long.
Four pounds a week meant a lot more then than now. A widow who was getting £5 a week heretofore had this cut because a means test was applied. Now she has to wait until the end of the month to get £10 or £12.
We will see. As far as I know it would have to be done generally.