asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of applicants who have taken up the family income supplement to date; and if there is any evidence of increased applications for this scheme since the 1 April of this year.

At the end of March 1986, 4,574 people were in receipt of a family income supplement in respect of 17,948 children. Applications for the family income supplement increased from an average of 45 per week in March 1986 to an average of 173 per week in April 1986.