Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
606 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will review the position whereby a person who is in receipt of a disability allowance loses this benefit if they decide to take a spouse or partner who is on a good income; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this does not apply to a person who is in receipt of an invalidity pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17738/04]
View answerThe social welfare code provides for a range of social insurance benefits which are financed through PRSI contributions, and a range of social assistance payments, which are payable subject to a means test and financed by the Exchequer through general tax revenue. The purpose of the means test is to ensure that, for people who do not have social insurance cover or who have insufficient PRSI contributions to qualify for benefit, resources are targeted at those most in need. Thus social protection of the population in general is provided through a combination of insurance-based and payments targeted at need.
A person with a disability or long-term illness might qualify for an insurance based payment if they have sufficient PRSI contributions either disability benefit or invalidity pension. Entitlement to social insurance benefits is not affected by the claimant's income or, if one of a couple, by their spouse-partner's income although there may be an impact on the level of payments as spousal means are taken into account in the calculation of qualified adult additions.
Where a person with a disability or long-term illness does not qualify for an insurance based payment because of insufficient PRSI contributions, he or she may qualify for a means-tested disability allowance. In assessing means, account is taken of the claimant's own means and, in the case of a couple, the joint means of the couple are assessed. In addition, the value of any capital is also assessed.
While these arrangements might serve to explain the particular circumstances outlined in the Deputy's question, it might be noted that applicants for disability allowance are treated in the similar manner to applicants for other social assistance payments, for example, unemployment assistance, old age pension. A departure from these arrangements would represent a fundamental change in the social welfare system with major implications both in terms of the cost and financing of the system. The policy of successive Governments has been to improve the level of social protection provided through the social insurance system, by extending access to coverage and the range of benefits which are covered by the system.
