asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that allowances made by municipal authorities in respect of blind persons under the Welfare of the Blind Scheme are taken into consideration when estimating the means of applicants for pensions under the Blind Persons Act; further, that in many of these cases where such blind persons were in receipt of 10/- weekly from the State under the Blind Persons Act, such pensions have been reduced or suspended in view of payments under the welfare of blind schemes, with the result that boards of public assistance have had to come to their aid at additional expense to the ratepayers; and whether he intends to introduce proposals for legislation at an early date to enable blind persons in receipt of allowances under the Welfare of the Blind Scheme to receive the full State pension of 10/-per week.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pensions Means Test.
A question was raised recently by a pensions officer as to why a deduction should not be made from a State blind pension granted to a blind married man resident in Dublin County Borough on the grounds that when his allowances under the Corporation Scheme in respect of children are taken into account his means would be in excess of the statutory limit and that he was not therefore entitled to the full State pension. I have been advised that the extra children's allowance under the scheme must be regarded as part of the means of the pensioner. As regards the second part of the Deputy's question I understand that in a few cases in Dublin County Borough State blind pensions have been reduced in view of the fact that the pension officer takes into account in ascertaining means for State blind pensions purposes allowances granted in respect of children under the Dublin County Borough scheme for the welfare of the blind. The inquiry contained in the third part of the question might be appropriately addressed to the Minister for Finance.