asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is a fact that, in order to qualify for the full old age pension on 1st January, 1909, a person was allowed to have a yearly means of £21; and that, in order to receive the full old age pension on 1st January, 1969 a person must be assessed as having £Nil; and, if so, if he will state the justification for this change in the yearly means qualification.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pensions.
30.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The effect of the provision, however, was that, in 1909 and for long afterwards, a person who had no means whatever received exactly the same pension as a person who had means assessed up to the limit for maximum pension. One of the many improvements which have been made in the old age pension code in recent years is that those who have no means now get a higher rate of pension than those who have means.
Five shillings higher.
Does the Minister not agree that a means adjustment is overdue after a lapse of 60 years?
I do not seem to have that information.
This was reviewed a couple of years ago, but it was reviewed the wrong way.