asked the Minister for Social Welfare if payments from recognised charities to individuals are included by officials of his Department in assessing the income of an applicant for social welfare benefits, pension or allowance.

25.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if there are any regulations issued to officers of his Department regarding any sums receivable from charitable sources by an applicant for benefits under the social welfare code; and, if so, whether they include instructions as to how such receipts are to be regarded when assessing income for the purposes of the means test.

26.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if there are any regulations issued to officers of his Department regarding any sums receivable from charitable sources by an applicant for benefits under the social welfare code; if so, to what extent these regulations are known to the public; how often they have been revised; and when the latest revision took place.

27.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the fact that the inclusion, in the assessment of means for social welfare payments, of rceipts from charitable sources acts as a deterrent to the charitable disposition of people, he will take steps to have such receipts excluded.

28.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare what forms of income, statutory or otherwise, are not taken into account when assessing a person's income under the social welfare code.

With your permission a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 to 28 together.

There is no means test applicable to any of the insurance benefits provided under the Social Welfare Acts. Account has to be taken of a person's means in relation to non-contributory old age, blind and widows' pensions and unemployment assistance.

The items of income which are taken into account and those which are excluded in the assessment of means are fixed by statute, and are not subject to alteration by Ministerial regulation. In so far as the pensions mentioned are concerned, the relevant provisions are contained in the Seventh Schedule to the Social Welfare Act, 1952, and in regard to unemployment assistance, in Section 13 of the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1933.

In the case of pensions, voluntary or gratuitous payments whether from recognised charities or other sources, are not assessable except in so far as they exceed £52 5. 0. per year. In assessing means from cash income the assessment is based on the amount which an applicant may reasonably expect to receive during the succeeding year. Casual charitable payments are not, therefore, assessable.

The application of the statutory provision in regard to the assessment of means from voluntary or gratuitous payments has not been the subject of instructions to officers of my Department.

The introduction of legislation for the purpose of altering the existing provisions relating to voluntary or gratuitous payments is not at present contemplated.

Would the Minister say in connection with allowances payments by recognised charitable organisations whether or not the pensions investigation officers are entitled to, or do, make inquiries from the organisations giving such payments?

They possibly would in cases where they have reason to believe payments were made, but, as I said, it would only be in very exceptional cases, indeed, that such payments would affect the rate of pension.

Would the Minister say whether there is a limit on the amount of casual charitable payments?

As I have pointed out, in assessing means from cash incomes, the assessment is based on the amount the applicant can reasonably expect to obtain in the succeeding year, so normally casual payments from a charitable institution would not be assessable at all.

Is it a fact that in assessing the means of unemployed persons, who are applicants for unemployment assistance, contributions from the St. Vincent de Paul Society are taken into account?

I do not think so.

Will the Minister state definitely that they are not?

I think that would be very unlikely. I do not think it could happen.

The Minister may rest assured that it is happening.

As I have said, the means, as assessed, are means that a person could reasonably expect to receive in the succeeding year.

Is that based on the preceding year?

It is.

An féidir leis an Aire a rá ar deineadh aon athrú ar na rialacha so trí na blianta?

Níor deineadh mar ní raibh gá leis.

Would the Minister state if payments by health authorities to disabled persons are taken into account?

They are not.

29.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability allowances paid by local authorities are included as income so as to curtail at a later stage the amount payable under the Acts relating to old age pensions.

The answer is in the negative.