Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Oct 1999

Vol. 508 No. 3

Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.

John McGuinness

Question:

305 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will remove the means test for carers who provide care on an ongoing basis for relatives in their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18996/99]

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

The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment to carers on low incomes who look after certain people who need full-time care and attention.

Following a detailed examination of the review of the carer's allowance, which was published in October 1998, and its proposals on the improvement and development of the carer's allowance, a range of measures was introduced in the 1999 budget at an additional annual cost of over £18 million, to improve and develop the position of carers.

The 1999 budget introduced some changes in the means test for carer's allowance. From August 1999, a disregard of £75 per week is applied to the income of a single carer and the current disregard of £150 per week is applied to the joint means of a married couple.

The submissions and proposals of all organisations representing carers were considered as part of the review process and are comprehensively addressed in the report. One of the major issues raised by these groups was the removal or easing of the carer's allowance means test.

The complete abolition of the means test would have substantial cost implications. The review estimated that some £160 million would be required per annum to pay the basic maximum rate carer's allowance to the 40,000 carers providing full time care and attention. This is an additional £100 million on top of the estimated public expenditure in 1999 of £60 million.

The review of the carer's allowance examined the means test and considered that it should be maintained as a way of targeting scarce public resources towards those who are most in need. The means test applied to the carer's allowance is one of the more generous tests in terms of the assessment of household income. In this regard it should be noted that the only universal social welfare scheme is child benefit. All other schemes are based on either contribution-qualification conditions or are means tested.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

306 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the rules governing those adults in long-term care, mental hospitals and other institutions with regard to their disability allowance; if their families can avail of their disability allowance, or part thereof, to provide for their care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19037/99]

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

Disability allowance is not generally payable where a person is resident in an institution, where the cost of care and maintenance is being met in whole or in part by or on behalf of a health board. This provision has been a feature of the disability allowance, and of the former disabled person's maintenance allowance which it replaced. In cases where a person is in full-time institutional care the maintenance costs and an element of pocket money are met through funding from the health boards.

Since the take-over of the disability allowance scheme from the health boards, a number of measures have been introduced to progressively relax this disqualification. Disability allowance now continues to be paid for up to 13 weeks where the recipient goes into hospital or institutional care for the purposes of undergoing medical or other treatment of a temporary nature. In addition, disability allowance is paid at half-rate in the case of those in part-time residential care.

Furthermore under provisions contained in the Social Welfare Act, 1999, recipients of disability allowance who go into hospital or institutional care after 1 August 1999 will retain their full entitlement to the allowance.

Michael Ring

Question:

307 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive payment under the farm assist scheme. [18604/99]

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

A decision on the farm assist application from the person concerned was issued to him on 20 September 1999. A deciding officer assessed his weekly means at £35.00. This assessment entitles him to payment at the weekly rate of £51.70. Arrears of £473.90 covering the period 27 July, 1999, to 28 September, 1999, were issued on 30 September, 1999.