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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Mar 1968

Vol. 233 No. 9

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Free Electricity Scheme.

60.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the free electricity scheme to persons in receipt of a British retirement pension who are living in this country.

Does the Minister not think that is rather peculiar in view of the fact that free travel facilities are being granted?

It does not necessarily follow. I thought I was being reasonably generous in extending the travel facilities to these people. British pensioners whose means are slender qualify; of the 9,000-odd British pensioners here, some 2,200 do qualify for a part Irish pension, in which case they also qualify for the cheap electricity.

Would the Minister not agree that the people who are left outside this scheme because they have a pension from Britain should get these facilities, particularly in view of the fact that if they had not been in Britain for a while, this State would be paying the full rate of pension and also be giving them these facilities? Does the Minister not consider that there is a good case? Will he reconsider it?

A good case can be made for quite a number of pensioners.

The Minister must be aware of people, particularly people living in Donegal, who worked in the Six Counties, who now have retired and are in receipt of British pensions. Here is a situation where people who actually lived in Donegal and worked in the North being deprived of their rights as Irish citizens.

This is not a question of anybody being deprived of his rights. This scheme, as the House is aware, was introduced to provide cheaper electricity to persons in poor circumstances. It was not extended to all pensioners but only to be applied to those in the lower group as far as means was concerned. I think that section is adequately covered in the present arrangements.

Is the Minister giving us an assurance that any person living in Donegal who has worked in Derry or Tyrone and who is in poor circumstances will get the same treatment as a person receiving an Irish pension?

Equal as far as the assessment of means is concerned?

Why could the Minister not do that without my having all the bother of trying to get them free transport and free electricity?

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