asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of providing family allowances in this country on scales similar to those operating in (a) EEC countries and (b) Great Britain.

With regard to (a) of the Deputy's question no estimate of the cost can be given because there is no common scheme applicable to existing member States of the European Economic Community and there are such wide differences between the schemes in those States. With regard to (b) the additional cost is estimated at £16,000,000.