asked the Minister for Social Welfare the measures, if any, planned to provide for the special needs of widows in Ireland.

The special needs of widows are kept under review by my Department with a view to effecting such improvements as are practicable and feasible within the limit of available resources. It is the stated policy of the Government to maintain the living standards of all social welfare recipients by regular adjustments of the level of payments, at least in line with the cost of living.

Already this year widows' pensions in line with all other social pensions were increased by 16 per cent as from the beginning of last month. In addition the following improvements, details of which were announced at Budget time, were made in the means test for widow's non-contributory pensions: (a) increase from £100 to £200 in the amount of capital not assessed as means, (b) removal of upper age limit for the receipt of widow's non-contributory pension, in line with widow's contributory pension, (c) all unearned income of a widow's children disregarded, (d) dwelling houses and farm buildings discounted for means purposes, (e) commencement of phased removal of anomaly in regard to means limits for reduced rates of pension.

The Green Paper, "A National Income-Related Pensions Scheme" raises the question of income-related widows' pensions. This issue will be considered in the context of proposals in the pensions area generally which are at present under consideration.

While the Minister may be making some moves in his Department, having regard to the fact that he is the Minister responsible for improving the lot of these people, would he have consultations with the Minister for Finance about the tax problem with regard to widows where they are being discriminated against?

I have warned the Deputy before against attempting to stir up trouble between myself and my colleagues.

I was not being facetious in saying that. Will the Minister seriously consider the whole question of discrimination against widows in the areas of tax and social welfare? Tax and social welfare are interlinked and one cannot talk about increasing social welfare if it is being taxed.

The Deputy is long enough here to know that questions about taxation should be addressed to the Minister for Finance. The Deputy asked me a specific question about widows, as far as I am concerned, and I have given him a fair resumé of reasonable improvements made in their condition this year.

The Minister is giving me the impression that Cabinet meetings do not take place and that is a serious matter.

Has the Minister any plans to make fringe benefits such as free electricity, free travel and a free television licence at present available to old age pensioners, available to widows?

Not at present. It would be an important improvement but I have no plans at present.

Would the Minister consider it?

It is one of the things on the map, too.

In relation to the budgetary improvements outlined in the Minister's reply can he say what proportion of eligible widows are in receipt of benefit by way of those improvements? Could the Minister say what proportion of widows have actually received those improvements?

We are getting very far away from the original question now.

The are only coming into operation now. I gave the cost of them in the budget.

The cost has been given but does the Minister realise that the widows have not received them?

The costs were based on numbers, so I can get all those figures for the Deputy.

The Minister ought to realise that the majority of widows have not received any of those increases because of the postal situation.