asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will abolish the maintenance clause in the prescribed relative allowance scheme; the reasons for having this clause inserted; and if she will make a statement on this serious situation.
Written Answers. - Prescribed Relative Allowance.
15.
The prescribed relative allowance is an increase in pension payable to certain categories of pensioners. The purpose of the allowance is a limited one, providing income maintenance support where a prescribed relative is devoting himself or herself to the provision of full time care and attention to the pensioner. In keeping with its income maintenance role, the allowance is not payable in cases where the prescribed relative is a married person who is wholly or mainly maintained by his/her spouse.
An alteration in the scheme along the lines proposed by the Deputy would radically alter its scope and would have very costly implications. There are no proposals to extend the scheme in this way.