Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2004
280 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if consideration has been given to setting up a new social welfare payment to allow the relatives of children whose addicted parents are incapable of fulfilling their role as parents to care for them without declaring them orphans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19654/04]
View answer281 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has taken steps to bring the level of orphan’s allowance into line with the foster care allowance to address the anomaly between the payments raised in the recent Ombudsman’s annual report. [19655/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.
The definition of an orphan for the purpose of orphan's pension and orphan's allowance was extended in 1995 to include children where the parents are still alive but have abandoned or refused or failed to provide for them. This was seen as a necessary response to changes in family and social circumstances. I am aware of concerns raised in recent times by social workers and representative organisations about the appropriateness of the titles of these payments. Any change would involve legislative change to the social welfare code. I am keeping the matter under review for further consideration in the context of future social welfare legislation.
At present, the weekly rate of the orphan's contributory allowance and maximum rate of orphan's non-contributory pension is €107 per week. This is a substantially higher rate of payment compared with other payments made by my Department in respect of children. The foster care allowance paid by the health boards is paid at a rate of €289.50 per week, per child under 12 years of age, and €316.50 per week, per child of 12 years and over. Foster carers operate within a very specific framework; they are subject to rigorous scrutiny and ongoing monitoring by the health boards and the children in their care are subject to a care plan. This means that foster carers have additional responsibilities and duties in respect of the children in their care.
The two payment systems have significantly different objectives and purposes and I do not consider that there is a case for standardising payments in this area.
