asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he accepts the concept of a guaranteed minimum income for all; if so, the plans he has to introduce this concept into the social welfare system.

The concept of a guaranteed minimum income for all has been proposed as a way of integrating the social welfare and income tax systems. There are a number of ways in which this can be done. Generally speaking, however, what is involved is a guarantee to every person in the State of the certain level of income entirely apart from their tax liabilities.

The Commission on Social Welfare examined such proposals and assessed their relevance as strategies for social welfare provision in this country. They concluded, however, that any attempt to introduce such totally new approaches, even if desirable in principle, would raise intractable transitional problems, given the extent of the existing system and the accumulated rights and entitlements already in existence. They also considered that there are clear advantages in building on elements which already exist. Apart from these practical considerations, they referred to the inherent cost of such schemes and the fact that they constitute an inflexible method of meeting income needs. They also noted that none of these schemes has been introduced in other countries.

Not so.

I am just saying what they noted. We have given a commitment in our Programme for National Recovery to streamline social welfare administration and at this stage I do not wish to rule out any approach to achieving this aim. However, my initial reaction is that an approach based on a guaranteed minimum income system irrespective of circumstances is unlikely to be a practical proposition in the immediate future.