asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider accepting as a State responsibility all expenditure arising from the care of blind persons, in order to relieve the rates from this burden which is unequally distributed throughout the State.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Care of Blind Persons.
The answer is in the negative.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the bulk of the charges for the welfare and upkeep of the blind falls on the ratepayers of Dublin City and that people coming from all over the country benefit by it? Would it not be much more equitable to have it a State charge rather than a local authority charge?
Is the Minister in a position to state whether or not the Government's Budget proposals will also put a heavy imposition on the ratepayers for the financial year?
That surely is a separate question.
The cost to the State of the scheme is £466,650, and the cost to the local authorities is £160,000. That is spread all over the country.