asked the Minister for Health whether the prescribed relatives' allowance applies to persons aged between 16 and 66 who are in receipt of disabled persons' maintenance allowance, where the breadwinner does not work but devotes his time to looking after the disabled person; and, if not, if he would not consider this is substantially cheaper for the State than having a paralysed person in State care.
Written Answers. - Eligibility for Allowances.
458.
The prescribed relatives' allowance does not apply to persons in receipt of disabled persons' maintenance allowance. A disabled persons's maintenance allowance is payable to a person, who by reason of a specified disability is, in the opinion of a medical officer of a health board, substantially handicapped in undertaking work of a kind which, if he were not suffering from the disability, would be suited to his age, experience and qualifications. A person in receipt of a DPMA would not necessarily be in need of full time care and attention by another person.
With regard to whether the costs of paying additional allowances would be cheaper than State care, the position is that it would be impossible to say with certainty that in all cases it would be less expensive. It would be necessary to know in individual cases what the degree of handicap is and the type of care and attendance required, before making definitive statements on costs.