asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will increase allowances for dependants at the same rate as benefits, for example widows' pensions.

All weekly social welfare payments have been increased from the beginning of October. The percentage increases made in the allowances for dependants were the same as those applying to the personal rates of payment. Further increases are a matter for consideration in the context of next year's budget.

Would the Minister of State accept that the practice up to now of flat increases in rates of benefit has resulted in the increases being less in the case of dependants? The Opposition refer often to their having increased social welfare payments by 20 per cent in their last budget but in reality the increase for dependants was of the order of 8 to 9 per cent. In the interest of honesty would the Minister agree that the same level of increases should apply to dependants as applies to beneficiaries?

I understood that was what the Deputy had in mind. The practice followed by the last Government in April was that the personal and adult dependant rates were increased by 25 per cent with a 20 per cent increase for short-term benefits, but child dependant rates were increased by 10 per cent only. Perhaps in those circumstances there was a certain misleading by the usage of the term "general increase of 25 per cent".

10.