Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
882 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the blind pension is a means tested non-contributory pension; and the reason no provision is made for contributions to allow a person to claim contributory blind pension. [11897/04]
View answerIncome maintenance payments available under the social welfare code consist of a range of social insurance benefits. They are paid on the basis of PRSI contributions. A further range of social assistance payments are payable, subject to a means test, to people who are not qualified for insurance based payments. A means test ensures, for people who do not have social insurance cover or have insufficient PRSI contributions to qualify for benefit, resources are targeted at those most in need.
A person who is blind or severely visually impaired can qualify for either disability benefit or invalidity pension if they have sufficient PRSI contributions. Where such a person has not worked or does not have sufficient PRSI contribution, they may qualify for the blind person's pension that is means tested.
There is a contributory pension scheme available for people who are permanently incapable of working, including those who are blind or severely visually impaired, such as the invalidity pension scheme. Therefore, it is not considered necessary to have a separate contributory payment scheme specifically for blind people.
