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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 4

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Enda Kenny

Question:

127 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he has considered the right of carers to retain a carer's allowance in the event of the person who is being cared for or who has a disability entering into or returning to the workforce even on a short part-time basis more for personal satisfaction reasons rather than income reasons; if he will consider this matter as being detrimental to both parties, in that a carer risks losing their entire carer's allowance should the disabled or disadvantaged person take up a small job regardless of the number of hours worked or money earned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27252/01]

Richard Bruton

Question:

138 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the cost of increasing the income disregard for carer's allowance by £100. [27415/01]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 138 together.

One of the main conditions for receipt of the carer's allowance is that the person being cared for must be so invalided or disabled as to need full-time care and attention. A person is regarded as requiring full-time care and attention when s/he is so disabled or invalided that s/he requires from another person: continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him/herself; or, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with his-her normal personal needs, for example, help to walk and get about, eat or drink, wash, bathe or dress.

In addition, the care recipient must be so disabled or invalided as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least 12 months. When a care recipient takes up employment, that person is asked to submit a medical report from their doctor. This is examined by the chief medical adviser of my Department who decides if the care recipient still requires full-time care and attention. If this is the case, the carer's allowance remains in payment, subject to all other qualifying conditions for receipt of carer's allowance being fulfilled.

In addition, a carer continues to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention where the person being cared for is attending a non-residential course of rehabilitation training, or a non-residential day care centre approved by the Minister for Health and Children. The estimated full year cost of increasing the current income disregards for the carer's allowance by £100 is £18.5 million – 23.5 million – annually. This assumes an increase of £100 and £50 for a couple and a single person respectively.

Enda Kenny

Question:

128 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the rate of disability allowance payable to a single person; the percentage of the average industrial wage which this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27253/01]

Enda Kenny

Question:

129 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans he has to improve the percentage of the average national industrial wage which the disability allowance represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27254/01]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together.

The current personal rate of payment for disability allowance is £85.50 – 108.56 – per week. This rate has applied since the beginning of April last and represented 24.3% of gross average industrial earnings, as published by the Central Statistics Office, in relation to March 2001.
Budget 2001 provided for an increase of £8 – 10.16 – per week, or 10.3%, in the weekly rate of disability allowance. This increase was substantially ahead of the increase in the cost of living, representing a real increase of 5.6%. The increase was also ahead, by 1.7%, of the projected increase in earnings in 2001.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness contains a commitment to make substantial progress over the period to 2003 towards a target rate of £100 – 126.97 – per week for the lowest social welfare rates. The budget increase for recipients of disability allowance in the last budget was fully in line with this commitment.
The Government is also committed to increasing the rate of qualified adult allowance payments, including that applying to disability allowance, to 70% of personal rate in 2002. My priorities for budget 2002 will include making further progress towards implementing these commitments and responding where possible to the various proposals and concerns brought to my attention during the course of the budget process, having regard to the available resources.
Finally, as already announced, increase in rates of weekly payments will be brought forward to the beginning of January next year. This will mean that increases in all weekly payments, including disability allowance, will now be payable a full 23 weeks earlier since this Government came into office.

Michael Ring

Question:

130 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has had her non-contributory pension cut from £47.50 to £11.50; and his views on whether this represents a substantial drop in income. [27289/01]

Michael Ring

Question:

131 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has had his non-contributory pension cut from £47.50 to £11.50; his views on whether this represents a substantial drop in income. [27290/01]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.

In determining entitlement to old age non-contributory pension account must be taken of all income, including UK or other pensions, for means assessment purposes. Under the Social Welfare Acts, pensioners are required on an ongoing basis to notify my Department of any change in circumstances which might affect their Irish pension entitlement. The Department also carries out periodic reviews to ensure that pensioners are receiving the correct rate of payment in accordance with their means.

The people concerned – a married couple – are each receiving an old age non-contributory pension of £47.50 – 60.31 – per week based on means of £53.63 – 68.10 – derived from British retirement pensions. Following a recent review of their claims, the old age non-contributory pensions of the people concerned will be reduced to £11.50 – 14.60 – per week from a current date. This reduction reflects a higher income of £90 – 114.26 – from their British retirement pensions since they were last assessed in 1993.
Under social welfare legislation, decisions relating to claims are made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
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