Vol. 456 No. 4
7 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of additional staff who will be assigned to administering the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme when the scheme is transferred from the regional health boards to his Department; and the grades of staff which he proposes to assign to this work. [13965/95]
9 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of additional staff who will be assigned to administering the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme when the scheme is transferred from the regional health boards to his Department; and the grades of staff which he proposes to assign to this work. [13964/95]
12 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will introduce legislation to give effect to his commitment earlier this year to transfer the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme from the Department of Health to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13935/95]
65 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he intends to allow recipients of disabled person's maintenance allowance who have been transferred to the Department of Social Welfare to nominate a post office of their choice. [13940/95]
66 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare the progress, if any, that has been made in recent months in expediting the transfer of the disabled person's maintenance allowance to his Department; the consultations, if any, which he has personally held with individuals and groups concerning this transfer; the changes, if any, he has decided to introduce in relation to the administration of the allowance; and the opportunities he will provide for introducing future changes to the administration of the allowance. [14215/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 9, 12, 65 and 66 together. The first step in the process of transferring responsibility for the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme from the health boards to my Department, was taken when responsibility for funding the health boards in respect of disabled person's maintenance allowance expenditure was transferred to my Department with effect from 1 August 1995.
The legislative basis for transferring the administration of the scheme will be contained in legislation to be introduced in this Dáil session. It is my intention that the scheme will begin to be directly administerd by my Department in early 1996 following the enactment of that legislation.
The transfer process is a complex one given the task of adapting what are in effect eight different administrative systems to produce one system. The arrangements for the transfer of data from the health boards in relation to the existing claim load are under way and the detailed administrative arrangements which will apply in the new scenario are being devised. The number and grades of staff required to administer the disabled persons maintenance allowance scheme by my Department will depend on the precise arrangements eventually agreed.
When it was proposed that the administration of the disabled person's maintenance allowance should no longer be the responsibility of health boards, those assigned responsibility for undertaking the requisite examination of its operation were community welfare officers. Will the Minister of State say whether staff at that level will be engaged in its administration once it is transferred to his Department?
That is a matter for negotiations between the various professional bodies and is best left to them.
The Minister of State said he would reply to my Question No. 65 but has not done so. Would he do the House the courtesy of replying to that question?
In relation to the transfer of payment to nominated post offices it will be possible for a recipient of disabled person's maintenance allowance to obtain his entitlement there. First, the Department will identify the post office most convenient and likely to be used by the claimant and, if that is not acceptable, it will be possible for the claimant to nominate a post office of his or her choice, in the normal course of events, which will then be agreed.
Will the Minister confirm that, in taking over the administration of the scheme from the relevant health boards, his Department will ensure payment will be streamlined, especially bearing in mind that disabled person's maintenance allowance applicants will claim during traumatic periods for them; for example, some applicants may be young people who have been involved in accidents and will not be eligible to claim other benefits from his Department. Will the Minister of State ensure the scheme is efficiently implemented without undue delays and with the minimum of red tape in the interests of all recipients?
It is my intention and that of the Minister to ensure that the transfer of administration of the scheme will be effected with the minimum disruption to existing or new applicants for disabled person's maintenance allowance.
Will such payment be effected by way of a cheque or pension book, as was the norm when administered by the relevant health boards?
At present payment is effected by means of a book, similar to a pension book, when encashment can be done at a local post office. Future payments can be effected through a local post office by way of cheque or a book, as necessary.
