asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether consideration has been given to the position of persons who, by reason of physical or mental disability, are incapable of providing for their own support, and yet, by virtue of the nature or cause of their disability, can at the most only qualify for support from the public assistance authorities or charitable organisations; and whether consideration will be given to the possibility of introducing legislation to provide a statutory monetary allowance similar in character to old age pensions or widows' pensions for such persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allowance for Disabled Persons.
A person suffering from physical disability and unable to provide for his own support comes within the definition given in Section 18 of the Public Assistance Act, 1939, of a person eligible for general assistance. Section 19 of that Act places a statutory duty on the public assistance authority to afford such assistance as shall appear to them to be necessary or proper in any particular case. It is not proposed to introduce legislation of the nature specified in the concluding portion of the question.