asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether old age pensioners, inmates of a Union, are allowed to draw their pensions, and if, upon any being transferred to the Hospice for the Dying, the pensions are immediately stopped from those so transferred.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - HOSPICE FOR THE DYING—POSITION OF OLD AGE PENSIONERS.
SEAN MAC GIOLLA 'N RIOGH
I will answer this question. An old age pensioner who enters a poor law institution for the purpose of obtaining medical or surgical treatment is entitled to continue to draw his pension for a period of three months subsequent to the date of admission. If he does not receive medical or surgical treatment, he incurs disqualification on the date of admission and payment of the pension is stopped at once.
As regards institutions such as Hospices for the Dying, the position is altogether different. These institutions are not maintained out of the rates and no disqualification is incurred in so far as the nature of the relief received in such institutions is concerned. The value of the maintenance received in such institutions must, however, be taken into account under the Old Age Pensions Acts, and as the value of such maintenance generally exceeds the maximum limit for an old age pension, it becomes necessary to take steps for the withdrawal of the pension.