Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for providing clarity on an issue about which there are questions. According to the eligibility criteria, persons may qualify for ancillary benefits and the Minister has clarified that this means that persons in receipt of British state pensions will qualify on the same basis as persons in receipt of an Irish State pension. She has also pointed out that people aged over 70 years are not means-tested. In its alternative budget submissions Sinn Féin has sought to have the living alone allowance increased and it was increased by a small amount last year. At €9 per week, the payment is not a large sum, but it is important on a Monday or a Tuesday when money may be running out. I ask the Minister to revisit the decision not to pay the allowance to persons in receipt of British state pensions. I am referring to people who worked hard in construction, the health sector and so forth and paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxation. Their pensions from the British state flow into the economy here, although it works both ways.

I wish to raise another issue. Will I have another opportunity to contribute?

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