asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make payments of home assistance a national charge.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Home Assistance.
8.
Proposals for the reform of the home assistance service, including the question of the financing of the service, are at present at an advanced stage of preparation. Until these proposals have been approved by the Government, I am not in a position to say what arrangements will be made for financing the reformed service.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that in western counties there is a special problem in relation to the payment of home assistance? In Mayo a figure of £107,000 representing 10p in rates of £9.80 had to be provided this year for home assistance. Would he take that into consideration in the preparation of the plans?
All matters that would be relevant to reforming the existing scheme will be taken into consideration in the new plan.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary give a date as to when we should hear about the proposed plans, when they will be put before the House?
I could not give a precise date but I expect it to be in the relatively near future.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that I received a similar answer 12 months ago to the very same question?
I can assure the Deputy that it will be introduced far more speedily under this Administration than under the previous one.
(Interruptions.)
It is a bit much to listen to this expression of anxiety at present over a scheme that has been in operation since 1847 and about which the previous Administration did nothing about.
But there was never as much need for it.
(Interruptions.)
They did not need it in our time.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary assure me that, should his Department decide to make this a national charge and consequently payments might be made through the post, there would be somebody on the spot to deal with emergency cases?
I would not elaborate on my original reply to Deputy Gallagher.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that there was a scheme before the previous Government to deal with the nationalisation of home assistance which was not finalised?
I would agree that there were schemes for practically everything before the last Government and that there was practically no implementation of them.
There was a definite scheme drawn up on home assistance on which you are working now.