asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider extending the regulations governing the old age pensioners' prescribed relative benefit scheme to permit pensioners who live with relatives to qualify for benefit.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age Pension Scheme.
1.
As I indicated in reply to a recent question on this subject, the scheme of prescribed relative allowances was designed to assist pensioners who besides being incapacitated and needing full-time care, live alone, except for the prescribed relative who provides the full-time care they need. Initially, the allowance was payable only in respect of a daughter or step-daughter who resided with the pensioner to provide him with the necessary care, but the scheme has since been extended to include 16 categories of relatives.
There is provision in the scheme for disregarding the presence in the household of other relatives, or indeed of any persons under 18 years of age, or who may be over that age if they are incapacitated, so that an old age pensioner, though in fact living with a number of relatives, may still be entitled to the allowance. I have no proposals at present for further amendment of the scheme.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the type of information the question is trying to elicit is whether in the case of an old age pensioner who is brought into another home to live with relatives, which in most cases obviates the necessity to send him to a public institution, the prescribed relative allowance could be made payable? The Parliamentary Secretary is quite right in saying that originally the scheme was narrower but it has been extended. Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that the most beneficial thing for an old person is to be brought in to live with relatives instead of a relative going to live with him which is a necessary qualification at present?
As the Deputy has acknowledged, this scheme has been considerably extended in recent times. Instead of two categories there are 16 categories of relative eligible under the extended scheme. I do not propose at this time to extend it as the Deputy suggests.
I hope the Parliamentary Secretary will not lose sight of the point I am making. I am well aware that the scheme has been extended because I changed it myself a few times. I suggest that the allowance should be payable where the pensioner moves to another home. At present it is only payable if he stays in his own home and has somebody from one of the 16 prescribed categories to look after him.