asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will indicate the classes of persons, in various areas, who are now entitled to (a) food vouchers, and (b) fuel vouchers, and the weekly value of these vouchers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Persons Entitled to Vouchers.
The answer is long and somewhat complicated and I propose with your permission, a Chinn Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the answer:—
Food vouchers, which entitle the holders to procure, free of cost, either food to a specified monetary value, or a specified quantity of food, are granted, at the discretion of the public assistance authority, to persons in receipt of home assistance. The foods generally specified are milk, bread and butter and the exchange value of a voucher varies as between one public assistance district and another.
A blind person in receipt of an allowance under the Dublin or Cork County Borough Blind Welfare Schemes may receive a food voucher to the value of 4/- per week.
Persons of the following categories, who reside in a county borough, borough or urban district in the non-turf area, are granted vouchers which entitle them to obtain, during the summer period, half a cwt. of fuel and during the winter period one cwt. of fuel, per week per household:—
(1) Persons in receipt of home assistance who do not come within the categories (2) to (4) below.
(2) Persons in receipt of unemployment assistance who have dependents.
(3) Persons in receipt of old age pensions (including blind persons in receipt of pensions under Section 6 of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1932).
(4) Persons in receipt of widows' and orphans' pensions.
Persons of low income, who do not belong to any of the categories mentioned, but who are deemed by the local authority to be in need of assistance to obtain fuel may be given vouchers for one cwt. of fuel per week per household during the winter period only.
With the exception of persons in category (1) above, who receive the fuel free at the expense of the public assistance authority, recipients of vouchers are required to contribute towards the cost of the fuel. Contributions vary, during the winter period, from 6d. to 2/- per cwt. depending on the category to which recipient belongs. During the summer period the contribution required is a flat rate equivalent, approximately, to two-thirds of the cost of the fuel in the particular district.
In the County Borough of Limerick and the Borough of Galway, which are not in the non-turf area voluntary agencies, during the winter period, operate fuel schemes on somewhat similar lines to winter schemes of local authorities in the non-turf area. In Limerick, the contribution required from recipients other than those in category (1) above (who receive the fuel free) is a flat rate of 1/- per cwt. In Galway no contribution is required from the recipients. The schemes operated by these voluntary agencies receive assistance from public funds.
In the County Borough of Cork blind persons under 30 years of age, who are in receipt of weekly allowances under the Cork County Borough Blind Welfare Scheme, also receive fuel on the same terms and conditions as do persons in receipt of pensions under Section 6 of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1932.
It is not practicable in the circumstances to assign a definite weekly value to food or fuel vouchers.