asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the home assistance legislation or regulations were last up-dated; and if he is satisfied with the present operation of this scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Home Assistance Scheme.
74.
The administration of home assistance continues to be governed by the Public Assistance Act, 1939, and the Public Assistance (General Regulations) Order, 1942. I am not satisfied with the scheme as it operates at present and, as I indicated in a reply to a question on the 27th June, reform of the system is being considered as part of the review of the social assistance services.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say when is it envisaged that this review will be completed?
I cannot give a precise date at the moment.
Will it be this year?
As soon as possible.
75.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make home assistance payments a national charge.
As I indicated in reply to a question on the 28th June, reform of the home assistance service, which includes the question of the financing of that service, is being considered as part of the review of the assistance services which is at present in progress.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the payment of home assistance varies in many counties? This probably arises because of the fact that there are a greater number of recipients in some counties than others. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there is a certain stigma attached to this and that it is past time that the matter became a national charge?
In reply to the Deputy I should like to say that I could not agree more that the whole system, as operated at the moment, is, to say the least, unsatisfactory. A number of issues, other than the ones to which he has referred, would, in my opinion, need to be changed including the whole approach towards this category of recipients.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that this is a type of service which needs a humanitarian and flexible approach and that a local officer, familiar with the circumstances and in a position to make a flexible decision, is a vitally important part of the service? In other words, I would not like to see it nationalised fully.
If the Deputy spoke to a home assistance officer he would be informed that the present regulation is out-of-date.
I am aware of the desirability of retaining the flexibility at local level in any future scheme that may be introduced.