Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the outcome of a reassessment of means of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo in relation to their claim for an old age non-contributory pension. [13697/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a means tested payment and all income is assessable as means. This includes cash income, private pensions, foreign pensions, the value of any property (excluding the claimant's own home) and the value of any investments and capital which the claimant may have.

If a pensioner is married or is living with someone as husband and wife, the means of the spouse or partner is also taken into account as well as the claimant's own means. A pensioner is obliged to declare all means, and to inform this Department of any change in his/her circumstances.

An assessment of this customer's means was made by a Social Welfare Inspector on the 22nd March 2007. Based on this assessment, a Deciding Officer found that the customer was not entitled to State Pension (Non-Contributory) as her means, arising from her spouse's Garda Pension, exceeded the statutory limit of €227.50 per week.

The customer was informed in writing of the decision on the 3rd April 2007, and of her right of appeal against it if she is not satisfied.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 344: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department are only paying all pensions on Friday rather than some of them being paid on a Thursday; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is causing inconvenience to some people; if he will have same reconsidered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13710/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I introduced legislation (under the Social Welfare Law Reform and Pension Act 2006) whereby all persons in receipt of State Pension (Transition) would transfer automatically to the State Pension (Contributory) on attaining age 66. State Pension (Transition) is paid on a Thursday and State Pension (Contributory) is paid on Friday.

The change was implemented from January 2007, for customers receiving payment by electronic fund transfer. Customers paid by personal payable order were transferred to State Pension Contributory from 30th March 2007. An additional one day's payment was included in the first order in their new book.

Pensioners can collect their payment on the Friday or the Saturday. Generally, the new arrangements are working satisfactorily and there are no plans to revert to the previous arrangement.