Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1969 > Committee of Public Accounts > Report - Appropriation Accounts 1967 - 1968

APPENDIX 32.

DEDUCTIONS FROM INCOME OF PERSONS RECEIVING INSTITUTIONAL ASSISTANCE

Cléireach,

An Coiste um Chuntais Phoiblí.

At the proceedings of the Committee on 13th March in connection with the Appropriation Account of the Health Vote, 1967/68, I undertook to furnish certain information on the deductions which may be made from income of persons accepting shelter and maintenance under the Health Acts in County Homes and similar institutions.

Article 3 of the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1965 (S.I. 177 of 1965) provides as follows:

“(i) Where a person while receiving institutional assistance is in receipt of an income in money exceeding £1 a week, he may be required, out of so much of the income as exceeds £1 a week, to contribute such amount as the health authority consider appropriate towards the cost incurred by the health authority in providing him with institutional assistance.

(ii) In determining the amount of income in money received by a person for the purpose of the preceding sub article of this article, a health authority shall deduct any amounts payable by such person in respect of rent, ground rent, rates (including water rates), land purchase annuities, charges, mortgages, cottage purchase annuities, hire purchase agreements, credit sales agreements and insurance or assurance policies.”

These Regulations were made on 30th July, 1965.

Prior to the making of these Regulations, the relevant provisions, which were contained in Article 12 of the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1954, (S.I. 103 of 1954) were as follows:

“Where a person while receiving institutional assistance is in receipt of an income in money exceeding ten shillings a week, he may be required, out of so much of the income as exceeds ten shillings a week, to contribute such amount as the health authority consider appropriate towards the cost incurred by the health authority in providing him with institutional assistance.”

It will be noted that the later regulations—

(a) increased from 10/-d. to £1 a week the minimum amount of his income which must be left with any person receiving institutional assistance, and

(b) provided statutorily for the first time that account must be taken of certain specified liabilities of the persons concerned.

An Roinn Sláinte.

28 Márta, 1969.