asked the Minister for Social Welfare what financial help an insured male worker can expect who has had to absent himself from work to look after a large family of school-going children while his wife who has contracted TB is confined to a sanatorium.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Help for Insured Worker.
19.
It is open to a public assistance authority to grant home assistance in a case of the kind mentioned by the Deputy.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, I have no power in this regard in individual cases. It has been ascertained, however, by my Department that the attitude of the authority in the Deputy's area would be sympathetic to the case. It is also the position, I understand, that a health board may make a weekly payment in a case like this in respect of a woman employed to take care of the family if the person is unable to provide financially for such help.
I might add that in formulating proposals for the new comprehensive code of social assistance to which I referred in reply to a question on 13th April, 1972, I am bearing cases of the type referred to by the Deputy in mind.