Vol. 450 No. 2
121 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of money in the Social Welfare Estimate for disabled person's maintenance allowance in 1995; if it is intended to change payment method from the health board to his Department in 1995; and, if so, the date on which the change will take place. [5045/95]
The Social Welfare allocation for 1995 includes an amount of £51.5 million for expenditure on disabled person's maintenance allowance. Payments under this scheme are the responsibility of health boards at present and the scheme is funded through the Vote of the Department of Health. It is my intention to transfer the responsibility for payments under the scheme to my Department later this year and the new funding arrangement is a prerequisite of this. My Department will be discussing with the health boards how to effect this transfer at the earliest possible date and in a way which takes account of the needs of recipients.
