asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will increase the income allowance for blind people to a realistic figure immediately and if he will make a statement on the matter.
237.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
236.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the submission made on behalf of the Irish Association for the Blind, with a view to broadening the means test for receipt of the blind pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
238.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any proposals to ease the means test for applicants for blind pension.
239.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he intends to increase the income of £6 per week which a blind person may have and qualify for a full blind pension.
240.
asked the Minister of Social Welfare the cost of means testing applicants for the blind pension.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 240, inclusive, together. Blind pension is payable on similar lines to non-contributory old age pension except that blind pension is payable from age 18. The means test for these pensions is essentially the same but in the case of blind persons there is an additional provision that portion of their earnings may be disregarded in assessing means. The amounts of earnings at present disregarded in the case of blind persons were fixed in April 1980 and the question of increases in those amounts is something which would arise in the context of the budget.
I am aware of the representations made recently by the Irish Association for the Blind seeking very substantial increases in the amount of earnings disregarded in the case of blind persons. The whole area of social assistance provision for disabled persons generally is something which the Commission on Social Welfare will be examining and I would be reluctant, pending the results of this examination, to introduce a major change on the lines proposed which would have implications for other social assistance schemes. While I have no proposals at present to increase the amounts disregarded, I will however be taking account of the submission from the association in any future review of the conditions for entitlement to blind pension.
The Department do not maintain information on administration costs for the individual social assistance schemes, nor is there any breakdown of administration costs generally as between the cost of processing claims, means investigation and effecting payments. The information sought in relation to the cost of means testing applicants for blind pension is therefore not available.