asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider the possibility of making a proportion of welfare benefits payable to the wife or dependant of the beneficiary in cases where the need for such split payments can be proved necessary to proper family maintenance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
1.
My Department already have power, where it appears that the circumstances so warrant, to pay so much of a benefit as represents the increase in respect of an adult or child dependant to an appointed person. Where the adult dependant is the wife of the claimant, she would normally be the person appointed to receive the payment. This would seem to meet the suggestion put forward by the Deputy in his question.