Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Nov 1997

Vol. 483 No. 4

Written Answers. - Home Help Service.

Ivor Callely

Question:

29 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the view that home helps give huge benefit for relatively small remuneration and that this remuneration should not affect their social welfare benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20348/97]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The home-help service is operated by the health boards who come under the aegis of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. The underlying philosphy governing the operation of the service is that it is a community-based good neighbours scheme which would attract volunteers primarily motivated by the desire to engage in community service and, as such, the service does not come within the realm of conventional employment.

In so far as entitlement to social welfare payments is concerned, the position is that any income deriving from participation in the home-help service is not taken into account for the purposes of determining entitlement to means-tested social welfare payments.

A further issue, however, relates to the position of people who, by virtue of being engaged as home-helps, are deemed to be unavailable for work and thus have no entitlement to claim unemployment assistance in respect of any day in which they undertake such work. Any change to the existing statutory provisions in this regard would have to be considered in the context of the costs involved and would also have to have regard to the position of other similar types of employment.

I understand that a review of the home-help service has been initiated by the Department of Health and Children and my Department will offer every co-operation to that process.