Dáil Éireann - Volume 346 - 14 December, 1983

Written Answers. - Home Help Allowance.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe Mr. E. O'Keeffe

325. Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he will consider making an order directing the health boards to pay the home help allowance to relatives.

Minister for Health (Mr. B. Desmond) Barry Desmond

Minister for Health (Mr. B. Desmond): I do not consider it necessary or desirable to issue a direction to health boards to pay home help to relatives.

It is, in general, the policy of the health boards not to pay relatives as home helps. However, health boards do make exceptions from time to time when the circumstances of particular cases warrant the services of a relative as a home help.

2233

[2233] I am quite satisfied with the manner in which the service is operating at present in relation to the payment of relatives. I would intend to leave it to the discretion of the health boards to continue to operate it in the way in which they consider to be most appropriate.

Dáil Éireann 346 Written Answers. Home Help Allowance.

Questions

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