Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 May 1958

Vol. 168 No. 6

Written Answers. - Old Age Pension Statistics.

Mr. Kyne

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in tabular form (a) the maximum rate of pension under the Old Age Pension Acts (including cash supplements) payable at mid-February, 1922 and at mid-February in each subsequent year, and (b) the amount of weekly pension payment required at mid-February in each year to equal the purchasing power of the February, 1922 rate of pension.

Mr. MacEntee

The particulars sought by the Deputy will be found in the accompanying tabular statement.

TABLE showing (a) the maximum weekly rate of pension under the Old Age Pensions Acts (including Cash Supplements) payable at mid-February in each year from 1922 to 1958: and (b) the adjusted amounts, to the nearest penny, in proportion to the Consumer Price Index (formerly Cost of Living Index) in respect of each date (or the nearest date for which the Index was computed) corresponding to the February 1922 maximum rate of pension.

Date	Maximum Weekly Pension	1922 Pension Rate adjusted in proportion to Consumer Price Index (formerly Cost of Living index)
			s.	d.
Mid-Feb. 1922	10s.	0d.
,, 1923	,,	9	11
,, 1924	,,	9	10
,, 1925	9s.	0d.	10	2
,, 1926	,,	9	10
,, 1927	,,	9	6
,, 1928	,,	9	3
,, 1929	10s.	0d.	9	3
,, 1930	,,	9	4
,, 1931	,,	8	7
,, 1932	,,	8	6
,, 1933	,,	7	11
,, 1934	,,	7	11
,, 1935	,,	8	0
,, 1936	,,	8	4
,, 1937	,,	8	9
,, 1938	,,	9	1
,, 1939	,,	9	1
,, 1940	,,	10	4
,, 1941	,,	11	5
,, 1942	,,	12	5
,, 1943	,,	14	4
,, 1944	,,	15	6
,, 1945	,,	15	5
,, 1946	,,	15	5
,, 1947	,,	15	5
,, 1948	15s. in urban areas	16	7
	12s. 6d. elsewhere
,, 1949	17s.	6d.	16	7
,, 1950	,,	16	8
,, 1951	,,	17	3
,, 1952	20s.	0d.	19	1
,, 1953	21s.	6d.	20	6
,, 1954	,,	20	9
,, 1955	,,	21	1
,, 1956	24s.	0d.	22	1
,, 1957	,,	22	7
,, 1958	25s.	0d.	24	0

NOTE:—Cost of Living Index figures were not computed for mid-February of the years 1922 to 1930. The figures for March 1922 and January of the years 1923 to 1930 were used for the purposes of the above Table.

Mr. Kyne

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of mid-February, 1922 and the corresponding date in each subsequent year (a) the maximum yearly means which entitled persons to the full old age pension, and (b) the amount of money required at mid-February of each year to equal the value of the maximum yearly means in force at mid-February, 1922.

Mr. MacEntee

The particulars sought by the Deputy will be found in the accompanying tabular statement:—

TABLE showing (a) the maximum yearly means which entitled persons to fullold age pension at mid-February in each year from 1922 to 1958; and (b) the adjusted amounts, to nearest penny, in proportion to the Consumer Price Index (formerly Cost of Living Index) in respect of each date (or the nearest date for which the Index was computed) corresponding to the February 1922 maximum yearly means.

Date	Maximum Yearly Means for Full Pension	Mid-Feb. 1922 Maximum Yearly Means for Full Pension adjusted in proportion to Consumer Price Index (formerly Cost Living Index)
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Mid-Feb. 1922	26	5	0
,, 1923	,,	26	2	3
,, 1924	,,	25	16	9
,, 1925	18	5	0	26	16	0
,, 1926	,,	25	16	9
,, 1927	,,	25	0	3
,, 1928	,,	24	6	6
,, 1929	15	12	6	24	6	6
,, 1930	,,	24	12	0
,, 1931	,,	22	10	9
,, 1932	,,	22	5	3
,, 1933	,,	20	15	1
,, 1934	,,	20	17	10
,, 1935	,,	21	0	7
,, 1936	,,	21	17	1
,, 1937	,,	22	19	0
,, 1938	,,	23	15	6
,, 1939	,,	23	18	3
,, 1940	,,	27	1	6
,, 1941	,,	29	19	3
,, 1942	,,	32	11	5
,, 1943	,,	37	10	5
,, 1944	,,	40	13	7
,, 1945	,,	40	10	10
,, 1946	,,	40	8	1
,, 1947	,,	40	10	10
,, 1948	,,	43	8	7
,, 1949	,,	43	8	7
,, 1950	,,	43	16	10
,, 1951	,,	45	4	4
,, 1952	22	2	6	50	0	6
,, 1953	52	10	0	53	17	6
,, 1954	,,	54	8	6
,, 1955	,,	55	5	0
,, 1956	,,	57	17	2
,, 1957	,,	59	4	8
,, 1958	,,	63	1	8

NOTE:—Cost of Living Index figures were not computed for mid-February of the years 1922 to 1930. The figures for March 1922 and January of the years 1923 to 1930 were used for the purposes of the above Table.