asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether it is the policy of his Department that persons in receipt of social welfare benefits should be automatically excluded from receiving home assistance; whether he is aware that this position obtains in many areas throughout the country; and whether he has any comment to make on the desirability of such a policy.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare and Home Assistance Benefits.
54.
No suggestion has been made by my Department that recipients of social welfare benefits should be automatically excluded from home assistance and I am not aware that such a rule is in operation in any area. In point of fact, the first 10s. per week of social welfare benefit must, in accordance with Section 62 of the Social Welfare Act, 1952, be excluded from calculation in determining the income of an applicant for home assistance.
Is the Minister not aware that in Wexford, for example, where a single person is in receipt of unemployment assistance, he is considered not to be eligible for any other type of assistance from the local authority?
That could be; but as I said, nobody is automatically excluded because he is in receipt of social assistance.
They are.
They are excluded under the provisions which the local authorities apply.