Vol. 467 No. 1
110 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health the circumstances under which his Department would consider making full rate means-tested payments, such as disabled person's maintenance allowance, available to a couple with an existing income in excess of £9,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12774/96]
Limerick East): Under section 69 of the Health Act, 1970 and regulations made thereunder, health boards, in assessing eligibility for disabled person's maintenance allowance are obliged to have regard to the means of both the applicant and his-her spouse.
As the Deputy is no doubt aware responsibility for the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme is in the process of being transferred to the Department of Social Welfare. The Department of Social Welfare took over responsibility for the funding of disabled person's maintenance allowance on 1 August 1995 and responsibility for the administration of disabled person's maintenance allowance will transfer to the Department of Social Welfare in October 1996. I have no plans to change the existing disabled person's maintenance allowance regulations pending this transfer.
