asked the Taoiseach the percentage of gross national product devoted to transfer payments for which the Minister for Social Welfare is responsible in (a) 1957, (b) 1963 and (c) the last year for which figures are available; and if he will indicate the nature of these transfer payments.

Expenditure on transfer payments, for which the Minister for Social Welfare is responsible, was 5.4 per cent, 5.3 per cent and an estimated 5.2 per cent of the gross national product in the financial years 1957-58, 1963-64 and 1964-65, respectively.

Transfer payments included are:— old age and blind pensions and widows' and orphans' pensions and allowances, both contributory and non-contributory, children's allowances, unemployment assistance and benefit and payments from the Supplementary Unemployment Fund (wet-time insurance), disability benefits, treatment benefits, marriage benefits, maternity grants and allowances, welfare of the blind, cheap fuel schemes, home assistance and school meals.