asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to pay the living alone allowance on widow's and invalidity pensions for those persons under 66 years of age.

The living alone allowance is payable to all pensioners, including widow and invalidity pensioners, aged 66 years and over who are living entirely on their own. It was designed to meet the special needs of elderly persons living alone which they have to provide out of a single income.

It was not the intention that the allowance would be payable to younger age groups and there are no plans for extending it to such groups at present.

Is the Minister aware that there are people in their fifties and especially those in their late fifties who should be just as entitled to this living alone allowance? These are people who are in receipt of invalidity pensions, widow's pensions and so on. In the interest of fair play and equity would the Minister reconsider reducing the qualifying age from 66 so that the small number of people who would be eligible for this allowance could be included in the scheme?

The living alone allowance was intended as an aid to elderly persons having regard to their special needs in terms of heating, cooking and lighting. I would be sympathetic to the case being made by the Deputy on behalf of other groups especially where the disabled are concerned but perhaps it would be better to direct attention towards examining the benefits concerned and considering the problems of the disabled as a group or of widows as a group. Extension of the scheme to one group in an ad hoc fashion would lead to demands from all others. Perhaps the case is for general increases in other pensions and this is something that is being considered in the run-up to the next budget.

17.