asked the Minister for Health the total cost in respect of increases in disabled persons' maintenance allowances arising out of the Budget; if he is satisfied that the charge is appropriate to local rates; and if he will give consideration to the cost being a central charge.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Disabled Persons' Allowances.
8.
The total cost in the current financial year of the increases in the allowances for disabled persons announced in the Budget is estimated at £390,000. I am satisfied that the normal arrangements for financing health expenditure should apply to the additional cost of these allowances. Under these arrangements less than half the cost is met from rates.
Is the Minister aware that the rate in Donegal is £5 3s 6d in the £ and that this increase will add a further 26/- in the £ to the rates? Is he satisfied this is a proper way to finance such a scheme?
A White Paper on Health Services has been published. As the Deputy well knows, in counties like Donegal and my own constituency in Monaghan, 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the cost of all services is paid from centrally found funds.
I understand that a block figure is given each year. Will the Minister take into consideration this new increase when he is giving the block grant to County Donegal at the end of the year?
As the Deputy knows, the question of the effect on the rates to the community is subject to constant study by the Department of Local Government. The Minister for Local Government has made a number of statements on the question of transferring the whole of the health charges from the rates. He has said that to carry out the promises made by Fine Gael during the election campaign——
That is not being debated.
——would mean prohibitive increases in the turnover tax or income tax.
The Minister must appreciate that in the western counties the ratio of this type of person is much higher than in Dublin. This means an added burden on the rates in counties like Donegal and Monaghan, as the Minister knows well.
The question of the effect on the rates is very much related to the area of agricultural land in any county. In my county where there is a considerable grant for the relief of rates on land, the percentage, taken as a whole, borne by the ratepayers is low.
(Cavan): He got in by the skin of his teeth.
The total cost of county services, including town services, is borne by the Government to the extent of 71 per cent in County Monaghan.