asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will furnish details of the number of recipients of social welfare in each category of benefit or assistance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Recipients.
250.
The details requested by the Deputy are set out in the following statement:
|
Type of Payment |
Number of recipients in the State at latest date for which figures are available |
|
Social Insurance: |
|
|
Disability Benefit |
70,475 (a) |
|
Invalidity Pension |
10,569 |
|
Maternity Allowance |
2,821 |
|
Old Age Contributory Pension |
59,543 |
|
Retirement Pension |
28,460 |
|
Unemployment Benefit |
49,564 (b) |
|
Widow's Contributory Pension |
64,505 |
|
Orphan's Contributory Allowance |
815 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
2,069 |
|
Occupational Injuries Insurance: |
|
|
Injury Benefit |
611 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
4,683 |
|
Death Benefits |
295 |
|
Social Assistance: |
|
|
Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension |
133,949 |
|
Unemployment Assistance (including smallholders) |
72,544 |
|
Widow's (Non-Contributory) Pension |
10,274 |
|
Orphan's (Non-Contributory) Pension |
185 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
2,968 |
|
Unmarried Mother's Allowance |
3,683 |
|
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance |
139 |
|
Single Woman's Allowance |
3,118 |
(a) excludes 3,371 widows also in receipt of widows' pensions.
(b) excludes 477 widows also in receipt of widows' pensions.
Monthly children's allowance is payable to some 430,000 families in the State in respect of 1,181,449 children.
In addition to the foregoing periodic payments, treatment benefits and cash grants are provided under the social insurance scheme and medical care and funeral grants under the occupational injuries insurance scheme.
The Department also administer schemes of free travel, free electricity allowances, free television licences and free telephone rental.
Figures for persons benefiting under these schemes are as follows:
|
Type of benefit |
Approximate number of persons benefiting per month |
|
Social Insurance: |
|
|
Treatment Benefits |
26,053 |
|
Maternity Grants |
3,940 |
|
Death Grants |
390 |
|
Occupational Injuries Insurance: |
|
|
Medical Care |
154 |
|
Funeral Grants |
3 |
|
Social Assistance: |
|
|
Free Travel |
361,437 |
|
Free Electricity Allowance |
122,571 |
|
Free Television Licence |
84,916 |
|
Free Telephone Rental |
3,000 |