Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the costs of paying a full old age pension to current recipients of an adult dependent allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15592/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Since taking Office this Government has made the needs of older people a priority with the inclusion of several commitments in the Programme for Government aimed specifically at this group. These included a commitment to raise the qualified adult increase for the spouses and partners (age 66 or over) of contributory pensioners to the level of the state pension (non-contributory). Spouses and partners of non-contributory pensioners may receive a pension in their own right at age 66.

To this end, Budget 2007 provided for an increase of €23.70 per week in the qualified adult payment where the qualified adult is aged 66 or over, bringing it up to a maximum rate of €173 per week. This measure benefited some 35,500 couples. It is my intention to complete the process of aligning the rates in question within three years. Based on current rates of payment, it will cost €47 million to fulfil this commitment.