asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of any cases in which persons have recently been issued with children's allowance books for a three-month period to expire at the end of this year or in January, 1977.

I am not so aware but I can inform the Deputy that approximately 102,000 persons, whose current children's allowance books are due to expire following the payment of their December allowances, have been issued with allowance books in respect of the three-month period from January to March, 1977. This was necessary to complete the changeover from allowance books containing payment orders for two years to books containing orders for 12 months only, which will apply in all cases from April next. The purpose of the change is to improve the payments system of children's allowances.

I hope the purpose of the change is not contained in the recent statement of the Minister for Finance when he suggested a review of children's allowances could——

This is another matter and there is a question on the Order Paper in connection with it.

I do not want to upset the Parliamentary Secretary.

I can assure the Deputy that there is absolutely no relationship between the two matters.

Can we take it from the answer to the question that the present system of children's allowances will not be interfered with by any voluntary action taken by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Ryan, the Parliamentary Secretary's colleague in Coalition?

Surely the Deputy must appreciate that it would not be proper for me to comment on budgetary matters. I can assure the Deputy that when he is considering what he regards as Deputy Ryan's statement——

The Minister for Finance.

The Minister for Finance issued some thoughts.

Bad ones as far as the Tánaiste is concerned.

It is obvious that Deputies opposite find the question of thinking so amusing.

On that basis, can we look forward to the abolition of the Minister for Finance?

Order. Question No. 17.

Not with much optimism I am afraid.