asked the Minister for Social Welfare why certain pensioners living alone and depending on British pensions are denied the benefit of the free telephone rental scheme.
Written Answers. - Free Telephone Rental Scheme.
317.
The free telephone rental allowance scheme applies only to persons who are already in receipt of a living alone allowance. British pensioners who are resident in the State are eligible for the free telephone rental allowance only if they are in receipt of an old age contributory or non-contributory pension and living alone allowance from my Department.
318.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated cost of the extension of the free telephone rental scheme to a further category of two old age pensioners living alone in the same dwelling.
The estimated cost of extending the free telephone rental allowance scheme to this category is £500,000.
319.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of subsidy which his Department pays under the free telephone rental scheme for certain pensioners living alone.
Under the free telephone rental scheme my Department pay the whole of the annual rental, which is £48.44 a year, for those eligible. From the date the scheme began on 1 April 1978 up to 30 September 1978, which is the latest date for which figures are available, the total amount paid by my Department in respect of rentals was £105,000.