Vol. 430 No. 6
51 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the increase in his Department's estimate in expenditure on the pre-retirement allowance scheme; if he intends to reduce the qualifying age; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The pre-retirement allowance scheme, which was introduced in March 1990, enabled long term unemployed people, aged 60 or over, who did not intend to take up employment, to sign off the live register and continue to receive the equivalent of their unemployment payment by means of pension order book. The qualifying age was lowered to 58 years in April 1991 and was further reduced to 55 years from May 1992. The single woman's allowance scheme was integrated with the pre-retirement allowance scheme with effect from November last year.
