Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact many social welfare recipients in Ballyfermot, Chapelizod and Palmerstown have not been receiving their social welfare cheques in a timely fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8990/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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All Social Welfare cheques are collected from a central area in my Department at agreed times daily by An Post. These cheques are given priority treatment in the Dublin Mail Centre, where they are sorted for delivery to customers. No complaints of delays of receipt of payments have been received in my Department in respect of the areas mentioned. My Department has been advised by An Post that a collection and delivery change programme involving redesign and optimization of delivery routes has been implemented in the Dublin 10 and 20 areas. These new practices are designed to increase the efficiency and timeliness of delivery of all mail in the areas mentioned.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will address the plight of women of 70 years and over who do not have independent means, property or pension; his views on whether information is available from the most recent census to analyse this situation taking into account the Government's claim that respect for older people and the dignity of older people are at the heart of policies here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8991/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Definitive results on population are not available from Census 2006 yet, however, Population and Migration Estimates published by the Central Statistics Office in April 2006 give a figure of 189,600 women in Ireland age 70 and over. Information on the means and sources of income of this group is not generally available but work done in my Department in relation to women of pension age indicates that about 88% of this group receive support through the social welfare system in their own right or as a qualified adult on the pension of their spouse or partner. For many years now, the Government has been anxious to ensure that as many people as possible should qualify for pensions in their own right. In this regard, qualifying conditions for contributory pensions have been eased and special pensions such as the pre-53 payment have been introduced. In the last two Budgets a particular emphasis has been placed on non-contributory pensions with significant improvements in the means test and a higher rate of increase being granted than that given on the contributory side. These improvements are of particular benefit to older women who make up the majority of recipients of non-contributory pensions. As the House is aware, the Government is preparing a Green Paper on pensions and it is expected that this will be finalised by the end of March and published as soon as possible thereafter. The Green Paper will include a discussion of all aspects of our pension system including the position of people who do not qualify for social welfare pensions. Following the publication of the Green Paper a consultation process will then take place and the Government will respond to this by publishing a framework for future pensions policy.