Vol. 419 No. 6
131 Mr. G. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to revise the rules relating to disabled person's maintenance allowance paid to persons with a mental handicap, with a view to ensuring that if they succeed in getting a job which pays more than £30 a week they will not automatically lose their entitlement to DPMA; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Persons in receipt of Disabled Person's Maintenance Allowance do not automatically lose their entitlement to the allowance on taking up employment which pays more than £30 per week. The regulations provide that a recipient may earn up to £30 per week for employment which in the opinion of the health board is in the nature of rehabilitative employment without affecting the amount of the maintenance allowance which is payable. Where earnings exceed £30 per week, the maintenance allowance is reduced by the amount in excess of £30 per week. I do not propose to change the regulations in this regard.
