asked the Minister for Health why disability allowance is refused to many mentally retarded adults throughout the country as many of them are a heavy responsibility on their relatives at home; and if he is aware that if they were kept in a mental home they would have to be maintained at the expense of the State and local authority.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allowance for Retarded Adults.
33.
Mr. O'Malley
In pursuance of section 50 of the Health Act, 1953, and regulations made thereunder, a health authority is obliged to pay an allowance to a disabled person who, by reason of his disability, is unable to maintain himself and whose near relatives are unable to maintain him. Mental retardation is a disability for the purposes of this allowance scheme and I am not aware that any mentally retarded adults who may be eligible for this allowance have been refused it.
I am also aware that, in general, mentally retarded adults kept in a mental home would have to be maintained at the expense of the State and local authority. As regards such people maintained at home at the expense of near relatives, it is indicated in paragraph 112 of the recent White Paper on the Health Services that it is proposed to introduce an amendment to section 50 of the Health Act, 1953, so that, in assessing eligibility for a disabled persons allowance, account will be taken in future only of the means of husband or wife, and not of the income of other relatives.