asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any plans to change the present rules whereby social welfare benefits are calculated on the basis of a six-day week whereas the average working week usually covers only five.

An inter-departmental working group is examining the question of changing from a six-day to a five-day week for the purpose of the calculation of social welfare benefits. When the recommendations of this group are available the desirability of changing to a five-day week will be considered.

Would the Minister agree that the present arrangement gives an artificial financial incentive to three-day week working in certain industries because it is possible for people to be paid on the basis of a six-day week if they are working a three-day week whereas they are only paid for five if they are working full time?

I agree that there is an anomaly in that respect. There are also other considerations within the scheme in that there are still industries and sectors where a six-day week is operated. There is also the application of this legislation as it applies at present to the general disability benefit and unemployment benefit and other aspects. So, in that context, it would obviously not be desirable to apply a reduced week to the disability benefit because it would actually increase the cost to the State in that case. It is for these various reasons that an inter-departmental working committee was set up and I would hope that they would have their report available fairly soon.

When will the inter-departmental working group be established and when does the Minister expect to receive their report?

The working group was established on 2 March and has been examining the situation since then. There were some complications particularly in relation to the proposed payment of £9.60 to housewives which created some difficulty. They postponed further consideration until that position was clarified and they went back to work subsequently. I expect that they will be reporting in the very near future.

Would the Minister not agree that there are still six working days in the week?

In some instances there are six. For TDs there appear to be seven working days in the week and they appear to be longer than the normal working hours, if that is what the Deputy is referring to.

I accept what the Deputy says and it is widely recognised, but any consideration would have to be in relation to the legislation more generally, and that is taking place at the moment.

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