Vol. 412 No. 1
127 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Health the reason allowances payable by his Department to thalidomide victims remain unchanged since 1988; and whether his Department will grant increases proportionate to increases in social welfare payments granted since 1988.
The monthly allowances payable by my Department to thalidomide victims have been adjusted many times since 1976 in the light of the undertaking given at that time. Following a review of the rates now payable I have approved of a 7 per cent increase in these rates with effect from 1 April 1991. I further propose to link future increases in these allowances to movements in the disabled persons maintenance allowance rates.
