asked the Minister for Health if, in the assessment of means, he will raise the scales for domiciliary allowances, or at least ensure that increases in benefits under the Social Welfare Acts are not taken into account.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Scales of Domiciliary Allowances.
26.
I take it that the domiciliary allowances to which the Deputy refers are allowances under the Infectious Diseases (Maintenance) Regulations.
The personal allowances payable under these regulations to single persons, widowers, widows and married couples, were increased as recently as 1st November last and the maximum rates of rent allowances payable under these Regulations were increased substantially with effect from the same date.
The increases mentioned were part and parcel of the general increases in social welfare payments provided for in the 1963 Budget. The increases in the rates payable under the Social Welfare Acts became effective on 6th January, 1964, and if the Deputy's suggestion in the latter part of the question were adopted, persons in receipt simultaneously of allowances under the maintenance regulations and of benefits under the social welfare code would get the benefit on the double of the Budget increases. Health authorities, however, may, wherever they consider that undue hardship would result from abatement of maintenance allowances by the full amount of income from other sources, including social welfare benefits, dispense with such abatement in whole or in part.
In the latter portion of his reply, the Minister said that the health authority may dispense with the maximum payment which may be made. I assume the authorities are aware of this?
Yes; they have been informed of that.