Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 4

Written Answers. - Eligibility for Disabled Person's Maintenance Allowance.

Theresa Ahearn

Question:

105 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health whether the amount of disabled person's maintenance allowance paid is affected by income earned by the spouse of the recipient; the changes, if any, he proposes to make in respect of this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9921/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan, Limerick East)

Under section 69 of the Health Act, 1970 and regulations made thereunder, 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.

Recently I advised all health boards that all couples who in their own individual right are eligible for disabled person's maintenance allowance should in future receive two personal rates. Such couples, up to now, have been receiving a personal rate plus an adult dependant rate.

I am aware of differences between the assessment of means for disabled person's maintenance allowance and for social assistance schemes under the Department of Social Welfare. 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. There is no similar provision under the disabled person's maintenance allowance regulations.

As the Deputy is no doubt aware, responsibility for the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme is in the process of being transferred to the Department of Social Welfare. The Department of Social Welfare took over responsibility for the payment of disabled person's maintenance allowance on 1 August 1995. It is expected that responsibility for the administration of disabled person's maintenance allowance will transfer to the Department of Social Welfare in October 1996. I have no plans to change the existing disabled person's maintenance allowance regulations pending this transfer but this and other anomalies have been brought to the attention of my colleague, the Minister for Social Welfare, for consideration in any future changes to the scheme.