NCBI accuses Government of ‘technical error’ in cutting Blind Pension while protecting State Pension in budget 2011

NCBI has accused the Government of a ‘technical error’ in Budget 2011 after it cut the Blind Pension, while protecting the State Pension.

NCBI Chief Executive Des Kenny said that the Minister may have been “poorly advised by his officials when including the Blind Pension for reductions while protecting the State Pension.”

“The Blind Pension is the old age non-contributory pension paid at an earlier age to blind persons. It clearly should have been part of the pensions protection announced in yesterday’s budget,” he said.

Mr. Kenny said that the amount of money required to provide equity for the Blind Pension is small as it is payable to only 1,472 persons. The value of the annual saving to the exchequer every year is a mere €600,000.

Mr. Kenny said that NCBI has today written to the Minister for Social Protection, Éamon Ó Cuív, who has a chance to address the anomaly in the Social Welfare Bill which is being debated in the Dail today and to be voted on tonight.

“Before voting on the Bill the Minister has the opportunity to look at the technical irregularity of excluding the Blind Pension from the protection afforded to pensions and to correct this in the passing of the Social Welfare Bill.”

The old age pension was protected in yesterdays’ budget, whereas the Blind Persons pension was cut by €8 to €188.