Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 1

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Séamus Hughes

Question:

69 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health the action, if any, he proposes to take to encourage the spouse of a disabled person's maintenance allowance recipient to accept part-time work which would increase the household income and quality of life having regard to the existing means testing mechanisms as against that operated for unemployment assistance. [3088/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): Disabled person's maintenance allowance (DPMA) is the primary income support scheme operated by my Department for people who, because of their disability, cannot work and are not in a position to maintain themselves in the community. The rate of disabled persons maintenance allowance at £61 per week is equal to long term unemployment assistance.

Under section 69 of the Health Act, 1970, health boards, in assessing eligibility for disabled person's maintenance allowance, are obliged to have regard to the means of both the applicant and his/her spouse. I am aware of differences between the assessment of means for disabled persons maintenance allowance and for social assistance schemes under the Department of Social Welfare.Some of these are more favourable to disabled persons maintenance allowance applicants, most notably in the means assessment of people with a disability living at home where the value of board and lodgings is not taken into account. In contrast, the value of board and lodgings is taken into account in assessing eligibility for unemployment assistance. However, the spouse of a social welfare recipient on unemployment assistance is entitled to earn up to £60 per week, including travelling expenses, without affecting entitlement to this allowance.

As the Deputy is no doubt aware, responsibility for the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme is being transferred from my Department to the Department of Social Welfare from July 1995. I have no plans to change the regulations pending this transfer of responsibility.