asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of (a) old age contributory and non-contributory pensions (b) widow's pensions (c) disability benefit, indicating the major classifications of the disability (d) unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance (e) deserted wives' allowance (f) home assistance benefits and the criteria under which this benefit is given; and if he will give a regional breakdown of these figures.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits and Allowances.
19.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Number of persons in receipt of |
|
|
(a) Old Age Pension: |
|
|
(i) contributory |
54,582 |
|
(ii) non-contributory |
122,121 |
|
(b) Widow's Pension: |
|
|
(i) contributory |
59,742 |
|
(ii) non-contributory |
13,749 |
|
(c) Disability Benefit |
63,447 |
|
(d) Unemployment Benefit |
55,479 |
|
Unemployment Assistance |
60,893(including 26,574 smallholders) |
|
(e) Deserted Wives: |
|
|
(i) benefit |
1,169 |
|
(ii) allowance |
2,698 |
Statistics are not maintained on a regional basis for old age and widow's pensions, disability benefit and deserted wives' benefit and allowances. In the case of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance, while such information could be extracted from local office returns, it is not considered that the expenditure of official time and money involved would be warranted.
(f) Home Assistance:
The latest returns furnished by the Public Assistance Authorities show that the total number of persons in receipt of home assistance is 30,123. This figure is made up as follows:—
|
Dublin |
9,019 |
|
Carlow |
169 |
|
Cavan |
161 |
|
Clare |
371 |
|
Cork |
1,693 |
|
Donegal |
328 |
|
Galway |
2,345 |
|
Kerry |
880 |
|
Kildare |
585 |
|
Kilkenny |
1,263 |
|
Laois |
224 |
|
Leitrim |
85 |
|
Limerick |
2,137 |
|
Longford |
539 |
|
Louth |
593 |
|
Mayo |
2,108 |
|
Meath |
1,147 |
|
Monaghan |
286 |
|
Offaly |
744 |
|
Roscommon |
542 |
|
Sligo |
431 |
|
Tipperary N.R. |
468 |
|
Tipperary S.R. |
1,339 |
|
Waterford |
978 |
|
Westmeath |
555 |
|
Wexford |
618 |
|
Wicklow |
515 |
|
30,123 |
The criteria under which home assistance is given are that the claimant must be unable to provide by his own industry or other lawful means the necessaries of life for himself or any persons whom he is liable to maintain.
The major classifications of disability benefit and the percentage of claims in each classification was as follows in 1973, the latest year for which the information is available:—
|
Percentage of claims |
|
|
(a) Rheumatism and arthritis |
7.39 |
|
(b) Osteomyelitis, bone and joint disease |
.89 |
|
(c) Other diseases of the Musculoskeletal system |
.29 |
|
Total diseases of the bones and organs of movement (a), (b), (c) |
8.57 |
|
Diseases of respiratory system |
32.35 |
|
Mental, psychoneurotic and personality dis- orders |
7.07 |
|
Tuberculosis |
.78 |
|
Diseases of circulatory system |
6.24 |
|
Diseases of digestive system |
9.89 |
|
Diseases of blood and blood forming organs |
4.20 |
|
Diseases of skin and cellular tissue |
2.35 |
|
Infective and parasitic diseases |
2.34 |
|
Diseases of nervous system and sense organs |
3.25 |
|
Diseases of genito urinary system |
2.95 |
|
Allergic endocrine system and metabolic diseases |
1.59 |
|
Accidents |
9.19 |
|
Deliveries and complications of pregnancy |
.16 |
|
Neoplasma |
.59 |
|
Symptoms senility and ill-defined conditions |
8.53 |
|
Congenital malformations |
.04 |
|
All illnesses |
100.00 |
Will the Parliamentary Secretary indicate the amount of information in the tabular statement and the form of the information? Does it contain such a substantial number of figures that the Parliamentary Secretary could not read them out in a short time?
It does contain a considerable number of figures, as clearly it must if this information is to be given.