andMr. Creed asked the Minister for Defence if a free electricity allowance will be automatically paid to the widow of a veteran of the War of Independence who was in receipt of this benefit prior to the death of her husband.

Any question of making provision for extending the free electricity allowance to the widow of a veteran would be a matter for consideration in the context of the budget.

Would the Minister agree that the withdrawal of this allowance shows scandalous disrespect to the memory of a veteran of the War of Independence, especially in view of the extreme deficiencies under the scheme? Would he make a recommendation that this allowance would follow automatically on the death of a veteran of the War of Independence?

I would like to see the allowance passed on to the widow and I have made such a recommendation to the Minister for Finance but it is a matter for the budget as to whether that will be done.

In the forthcoming budget will this allowance be continued?

The Deputy will understand that it is not for me to answer that question.

The Minister, as Minister for Defence, is responsible for this allowance.

It is budgetary matter.