Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress to date on the introduction of a personal pension entitlement for pensioner spouses in receipt of the qualified adult allowance to be set at the level of a full non-contributory pension, as promised in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23094/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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This Government is committed to introducing a personal entitlement for pensioner spouses, currently in receipt of the qualified adult increase, at the level of a full non-contributory pension and that remains the position. At present the increase for a qualified adult on a contributory pension is 82% of the target rate. Spouses and partners of non-contributory pensioners receive a pension in their own right at age 66.

Since 2002, new pension claimants can opt to have the qualified adult increase paid directly to their spouse or partner. The administrative and legislative implications of enhancing these arrangements to make direct payments more widely available are under consideration.

The cost, based on current rates of payment, of bringing all of the relevant qualified adult rates up to the level of the non-contributory pension personal rate is €55 million in a full year. This commitment will be implemented having regard to available resources and other budgetary commitments.