asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the number of (1) old age pensions, and (2) widows' and orphans' pensions paid weekly at the post offices in Clara, Tullamore, Birr, Edenderry, Portlaoighise, Mountmellick and Portarlington.

The information required by the Deputy will be found in the accompanying statement.

According to figures supplied by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs the number of (1) old age pensions, and (2) widows' and orphans' pensions, paid weekly at the post offices specified are:—

All the figures given in respect of old age pensions, and those for widows' and orphans' pensions paid at Birr, Portlaoighise and Tullamore, are taken from returns in respect of a recent week. The remaining figures are the average number of weekly payments at the post offices concerned in the quarter ended 31st December, 1947.