asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that considerable dissatisfaction exists in connection with the administration of the additional allowance or vouchers to old age and blind pensioners and widows, and if he will state why the additional allowances are not being paid to all persons entitled to old age, blind or widows' pensions without distinction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old Age and Blind Pensioners' Additional Allowance.
The reply is in the negative. The classes referred to by the Deputy fall into three categories as regards the provision of special assistance therefor. Old age pensioners, blind pensioners and widows, who are in receipt of pensions or allowances under the Old Age Pensions and Widows and Orphans' Pensions Acts receive food vouchers if they are resident in the urban areas defined in the Emergency Powers (Food Allowances) Order, 1941. The scheme of food vouchers in such cases is administered through the Department of Industry and Commerce. Widows, dependent children of widows, and orphans if they are resident in any other areas receive supplementary cash allowances. The receipt of food vouchers under category 1 or the payment of allowances under category 2 is not dependent on any other condition than the possession of a pension book under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts.
In the case of recipients of old age pensions and pensions for the blind resident in the areas to which the food allowances scheme referred to does not extend, there is in force a scheme for the provision of additional cash allowances which is administered through the public assistance authorities. These allowances are not payable to all such persons without distinction. It is a condition of the grant voted by the Dáil that such allowances are to be payable by public assistance authorities only to persons of the classes mentioned who are members of necessitous households.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary really believe that 10/is sufficient to keep a pensioner's body and soul together? In some cases the Government are giving 2/6 in the form of home assistance or outdoor relief. There was one case brought to my notice last week. A man was allowed 2/6; his wife receives 6/- by way of home assistance. They took 2/6 off the wife and handed it to the husband —that is just robbing Peter to pay Paul. Is that the policy of Fianna Fáil?
That should not have happened.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary not think that the tests submitted for old age pension purposes should be sufficient to warrant the additional 2/6 without having a destitution test, such as is imposed by the present regulations? How do they come to fix the figure for each county in advance, the figure beyond which the counties cannot go, even with the discretion of the home assistance officers?
The restrictions attaching to the distribution of this grant have been fixed by the Dáil.