Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I told the Deputy before that 75% of the people currently in receipt of the scheme are either on a pension or disability payment. As the Deputy will know from his knowledge of social welfare, they are some of the people on the higher levels of weekly social welfare payments. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme rate is €186 per week. Somebody on a invalidity or retirement pension, or various kinds of illness and disability payments, is likely to receive significantly in excess of that in personal rates. The Deputy will be aware of that but perhaps that will clarify the matter.

Because nobody currently on the scheme is losing and they are all staying on the scheme so long as their medical circumstances indicate that they qualify for it, I do not anticipate any significant savings on this. I do anticipate a better way of dealing with this through the supplementary welfare allowance system of a special payment for people with particular needs. This does reflect changes in prices and availability.

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