Vol. 434 No. 2
354 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health if the rate of child dependant allowance for people on disabled person's maintenance allowance will be increased as it is currently less than that given by the Department of Social Welfare to lone parents as this results in a perception of discrimination against disabled persons.
The child dependant allowance of £12.80 per week currently paid in respect of each child to disabled person's maintenance allowance recipients is the same as that paid generally in respect of child dependants of the recipients of social welfare payments including disability benefit, blind pension and injury benefit.
While a small number of social welfare child dependant allowance rates are for historical reasons higher than this rate, the policy has been to introduce on a phased basis a standard child dependant allowance by bringing the lower rates up to the level of the higher ones. I am informed that this process will be continued by the Department of Social Welfare as budgetary factors allow.
