asked the Minister for Health the amount paid by every local authority in respect of the weekly maintenance of foster children in foster homes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Maintenance of Foster Children.
81.
As the information requested by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the Statement:
WEEKLY maintenance allowances payable by health authorities for foster children. (Note: In addition, clothing allowances and, in certain cases, other allowances, are payable.)
|
Health Authority |
Weekly maintenance allowances (to the nearest 1d.) payable in respect of boarded-out children |
||||
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|||
|
Carlow |
1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Cavan |
1 |
5 |
5 |
for children under 10 years |
|
|
1 |
7 |
8 |
for children over 10 years |
||
|
Clare |
1 |
5 |
0 |
||
|
Cork |
1 |
5 |
5 |
for children under 10 years |
|
|
1 |
10 |
0 |
for children over 10 years |
||
|
Donegal |
2 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Dublin |
1 |
10 |
9 |
||
|
Galway |
1 |
0 |
0 |
for children under 10 years |
|
|
1 |
5 |
0 |
for children over 10 years |
||
|
Kerry |
17 |
6 |
for children under 8 years |
||
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
for children aged 8—12 years |
||
|
1 |
5 |
0 |
for children over 12 years |
||
|
Kildare |
1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
12 |
4 |
||
|
Laois |
1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Leitrim |
1 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Limerick |
1 |
5 |
0 |
||
|
Longford |
1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Louth |
1 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Mayo |
16 |
2 |
for children under 5 years |
||
|
18 |
6 |
for children aged 5—10 years |
|||
|
19 |
7 |
for children aged 10—14 years |
|||
|
1 |
0 |
9 |
for children over 14 years |
||
|
Meath |
1 |
3 |
1 |
for children under 9 years |
|
|
1 |
7 |
8 |
for children over 9 years |
||
|
Monaghan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Offaly |
1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Roscommon |
* |
11 |
6 |
for children under 10 years |
|
|
13 |
10 |
for children over 10 years |
|||
|
Sligo |
1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Tipperary NR |
1 |
5 |
0 |
||
|
Tipperary SR |
1 |
5 |
0 |
||
|
Waterford |
1 |
3 |
1 |
for children under 14 years |
|
|
1 |
5 |
0 |
for children over 14 years |
||
|
Westmeath |
†1 |
10 |
0 |
||
|
Wexford |
1 |
3 |
1 |
||
|
Wicklow |
1 |
10 |
0 |
*Roscommon Health Authority propose to increase this amount to £1 per week for children of all ages, with effect from 1st April, 1969.
†Westmeath Health Authority propose to apply a rate of £2 per week in the near future.
Can the Minister indicate what is the highest amount and what is the lowest amount?
The highest I see here is £1 10s and the lowest is 17s 6d.
A week?
Yes.
I understand from the estimates of the Donegal County Council that it costs almost twice as much to keep a child in a special home as was being paid to maintain a child in the home of foster parents. Is the Minister satisfied that enough is being done by the local authorities to have the children taken out by the parents? Apart from the financial aspect the Christian aspect is involved too.
That is difficult to answer. I should like to have notice of that.
I will table the question again in a fortnight.