David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1006: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when she expects the transfer of income support and maintenance schemes from the Department of Health and Children to her Department to be completed; the schemes included in the transfer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2451/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In February 2006 as part of its reform of the Health Sector, the Government decided to transfer the General Registrar' Register Office, certain disability related income support schemes and the administration of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme and associated resources from the HSE to the Department.

The General Registrar's Officer Register Office transferred to the Department on 1 January 2008. The transfer of the Domiciliary Care Allowance Scheme will take place during 2009 with new claims being accepted in the Department from a date in May/June April and all existing claims will transfer by the end of October. The transfer of the Blind Welfare Allowance will take place subsequent to the transfer of the Domiciliary Care Allowance Scheme.

Following a review, the Infectious Diseases Maintenance Allowance scheme is being discontinued and current recipients are being transferred to other appropriate social welfare schemes. The transfer of the Mobility Allowance will be examined when the other Disability payments have been transferred.

The Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme is currently administered by the Community Welfare Service on behalf of the Department. Provision has been made in the Social Welfare and Pensions Acts 2007 and 2008 for the transfer of the administration of the scheme to the Department. These provisions are subject to a Commencement Order. Community Welfare Officers and other Health Service Executive staff will transfer to the Department to administer the scheme. A considerable amount of preparatory work for the transfer been completed and I expect to announce a date for the transfer this year.

The integration of the Community Welfare Service into the Department will lead to a more coordinated approach to customer needs and the removal of duplications of work effort by staff. It will be a significant step towards the modernisation of the social welfare system and I am anxious that the transfer takes place as soon as is possible. While there are a number of human resource issues to be resolved, I am confident that the concerns of all the staff involved can be dealt with.