asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps he is taking to standardise the assessment of means of old age pensioners with those of widows.

As I stated in reply to earlier questions on this matter I have had an inquiry into the operation of the means test in the field of social welfare carried out in my Department. The assessment of means of old age pensioners and of widows is one of the matters which was dealt with in the inquiry. I have the report of the inquiry under examination in the Department.

Is the Minister aware that a widow who has capital assessed on a notional basis will, upon reaching the required age for old age penpurposes, have the rate of payment to her reduced because she is assessed by a different method, because she is now of old age pension age?

That is one of the first things that will have to go. That is one of the more glaring anomalies.

When?

As soon as my considerations and a report has been completed.

I am disappointed that it was not announced yesterday.

There was so much yesterday that we could not fit everything in.

Question No. 30.

My memory must be very bad. I did not hear a lot of announcements for social welfare recipients yesterday.

The Deputy should have read the small print attached to the budget.

I did, and there was no reference to this. There were 5,000 people paying wealth tax who will not have to pay it any more, but there are widows who will still not get the same amount when they become old age pensioners.

Nothing in the question which the Minister should now be answering is in relation to the budget.

The Minister brought the budget in.