Travel expense should not be assessed as income

Travel expenses shouldn't be assessed as income, said Cllr Padraig Fallon at the most recent meeting of Leitrim County Council where he proposed that Leitrim County Council write to the three Government party leaders urging an increase in the income threshold for applicants of the Rural Social Scheme.
He also asked that they and the relevant ministers (Agriculture, Social Protection and Rural Affairs) address the "unreasonable situation where travel expenses are assessed as income in determining eligibility for this scheme." 

He said that "you must be under a certain income to be eligible for the scheme" and he is working on a case where a carer who gets travel expenses and this "pushes her over the threshold." 
He said that when it comes time to renew the participant's eligibility for the scheme, "she won't be able to go back on the scheme."
He said it's a "ridiculous situation" that travel expenses are being assessed as income adding that he felt it was "wrong". 
He was backed by all the members.