asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he is aware that consequent on the granting of increased pensions to certain old age pensioners and widows under the Social Welfare Act, 1948, many such pensioners who were in receipt of home assistance in the Dublin public assistance district suffered reductions in their amounts of home assistance; that the benefit intended by the Act was thus offset for these persons, and that this state of affairs was not remedied until a resolution of the Dublin Board of Assistance caused and inquiry into the matter; and if he will take adequate steps to ensure that the same thing has not happened and will not happen in other public assistance districts throughout the country.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Position of Pensioners.
I am aware that in a number of cases in the Dublin Public Assistance District payment of home assistance was reduced when the Social Welfare Act, 1948, came into operation. When the matter came to my notice I had inquiries made from the Dublin Board of Assistance and received an assurance that the cases were being dealt with specially; I am now informed that all the reductions which were made have been restored.
As regards the last part of the Deputy's question, while I am precluded by law from giving any direction that assistance should or should not be granted in individual cases, I trust that local authorities will not avail of the increased rates of benefit made available under the provisions of the Social Welfare Act, 1948, for the purpose of reducing such assistance to persons in necessitous circumstances.
Mr. Byrne
If the Minister's attention is drawn to cases where relief was stopped immediately after they got the increase in the old age pension, will he see that the relief that was stopped will be restored?
If the Deputy sends me particulars of any cases he has in mind, I will have them specially investigated; but the Deputy will have observed that I have already received an assurance from the Dublin Board of Public Assistance that any cases in which reductions took place have since been adjusted and restitution made to the recipients.
Mr. Byrne
I am satisfied with that. If restitution was not made in any case, it will be?
If the Deputy or any other Deputy has any other cases, I will have them investigated.
Would the Minister tell the House this power to compel the local assistance authority to pay assistance at any rate to any individual?
May I repeat for the Deputy's information what I have already said, but which apparently he did not hear:—
"As regards the last part of the Deputy's question, while I am precluded by law from giving any direction that assistance should or should not be granted in individual cases, I trust that local authorities will not avail of the increased rates of benefit made available under the provisions of the Social Welfare Act, 1948, for the purpose of reducing such assistance to persons in necessitous circumstances."
I have no power by law to direct a local authority to pay assistance or to refuse assistance in any particular case. I hope, however, that they will not regard the additional benefits now made available for the purpose of reducing assistance in cases in which reasonable people think that assistance ought to be continued.
May I ask the Minister what formalities a person has to comply with to qualify for home assistance before he can receive such assistance?
That is all laid down in the Public Assistance Act, 1938, a copy of which will, no doubt, readily come to hand if the Deputy makes the necessary inquiries. As I have stated, I am precluded from intervening in such a way as to influence the grant or refusal of such applications.
Has not the county manager the right to grant or refuse home assistance?
Under the County Management Act the administration of home assistance is in the hands of the county manager.
Did the Minister not state that these social services would take the burden off the ratepayers?
May I say in reply to that question that recipients of home assistance, who had to rely on home assistance in the past with such rates of benefit as they received under the social legislation in operation prior to the Social Welfare Act of 1948, are now, by reason of the passage of that Act, very much better off than they were when the Deputy's Government was in power?