asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider introducing a hardship allowance as in Britain in cases where occupational injuries allowance and disability allowance fall far short of a person's wages.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Hardship Allowance.
39.
The question of providing an additional benefit in the form of special hardship allowance was fully examined when the terms of the Social Welfare (Occupational Injuries) Bill, 1965, were under consideration. The reasons why such a provision was not included in the Bill were explained fully by me during the Second Reading of the Bill in the Dáil on the 24th November, 1965. I would refer the Deputy to the Official Report, Volume 219, columns 290-293.
In view of the fact that the argument put up then by the Minister was that he did not think the scheme could afford those benefits and since it has now been proved that a £½ million has been made on it, would the Minister not reconsider the matter?
That was not the case that was made.
It certainly was. I was present at the time.
I said it was not justifiable or desirable. It took three columns of the Official Report to say that so I did not wish to take up the time of the House in reading it out again.