Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Carer's Allowance.

Tony Gregory

Question:

132 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health, further to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 21 November 1995, the reason a relative (details supplied) in Dublin 7, who has been fostering two grandchildren for several years, is still not in receipt of appropriate allowances; and the allowance that will now be paid for the upbringing of the children who would otherwise have to be cared for by the State. [15027/96]

Tony Gregory

Question:

159 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the means by which a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 may apply for a relative carer's allowance, having fostered her grandchild for the past 12 years since the child's drug-addicted mother went to England and the child was in the process of being taken into care and who is in receipt of only the monthly children's allowance to provide for her. [15271/96]

Tony Gregory

Question:

165 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 is entitled to arrears of an allowance as a relative carer in view of the fact that she was recently granted the allowance but had the child in her care for the past 12 years. [15337/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. Currie)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 159 and 165 together.

The Child Care (Placement of Children with Relatives) Regulations, 1995, which came into operation on 31 October last, specify the conditions attached to the placement of children by health boards with relatives.

My Department issued guidelines to each board at that time in relation to the payment of allowances to relatives in accordance with the regulations. I understand from the Eastern Health Board that, in two of the cases mentioned by the Deputy, they are at present undertaking an assessment of the relatives involved. Pending completion of these assessments, and in line with the guidelines issued by my Department, the health board is paying the relatives in question a reduced amount of the allowance paid under the regulations. If these relatives are formally approved, they will be paid the full allowance and receive the difference between that rate and the amount they received in respect of the period of the placement preceeding their approval. Health boards may not pay allowances to relatives in respect of any period prior to 31 October 1995, when the regulation came into force.

While it is open to any relative caring for a child to apply to a health board for financial assistance, I would like to stress that allowances paid under the Child Care (Placement Of Children with Relatives) Regulations are made in respect of children who are in the care of a health board and where the provisions of the regulations are met.