asked the Minister for Health if she proposes to increase the weekly allowance to patients in welfare homes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Welfare Home Patients' Allowances.
13.
I presume the Deputy is referring to the practice by which health boards make cash payments to persons in long-stay institutions who have no income of their own.
These payments are made at the discretion of health boards concerned but in February last my Department suggested that a payment of £4 per week would be appropriate. I do not intend varying that recommendation at the moment but I shall be keeping the matter under review. The question of increasing the rate of payment is a matter for decision by each health board.
Would the Minister not agree that £4 per week per person to spend on cigarettes or drink or back a horse is totally inadequate? Is her philosophy in line with that of the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism, Deputy Kelly, who decried this whole attitude in this House yesterday of the poor in institutions seeking a payment of more than £4 or £5 a week? As a socialist Minister and a member of the Labour Party, will she dissociate herself from the statement of the right winger here, the Minister for rising prices, who is responsible for people having difficulty in buying certain things out of £4 or £5 a week? I appeal to the Minister today to increase this sum to £10.
This is not my philosophy but the philosophy of my predecessor who was in office when the £4 per week was brought in last February.
Would the Minister agree the rate was increased from £1.50 to £4 per week?
That may be but the Deputy's question relates to the inadequacy of the £4. This matter will be kept under review.
There was a budget last July——
We cannot have a debate. The Minister has given an assurance and we must now pass on to the next question.
My socialist philosophy does not enter into this at all.
In the budget in July there were massive increases in the cost of tobacco, cigarettes and drink. Why not increase this niggardly £4 per week now instead of trying to put the onus on our administration and Deputy Woods who increased the sum on two occasions at my request when he was Minister for Health? The Minister's reply is not good enough.
My reply is that the matter is under review.
I am angry about this because this is in line with the statements made in Claremorris by the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism. The Minister for Health is a socialist Minister and should be more aware of the problems. Minister, I want a definite reply.
The Deputy must address the Chair.
In reply to the Deputy, I am well aware of the problems.
What are you doing about them?
The Deputy must address the Chair.
Would the Minister give a commitment that she will be prepared in future to give these recipients an increase in line with inflation, which will be running at 25 per cent this year?
I think the suggestion is a good one and I will keep it in mind but I do not know if a percentage increase is the answer.