asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the refusal of a free fuel allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Louth.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
72.
The national fuel scheme applies to persons in receipt of long term social welfare or health board payments who live alone or only with persons who come within certain categories.
The person concerned is in receipt of invalidity pension. He lives with his wife who is in receipt of disability benefit which is not a qualifying payment for the receipt of the fuel allowance. His wife is not, therefore, his dependant for the purpose of the national fuel scheme and his application had to be refused.
73.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether a person under 66 years of age who has a heart pacemaker fitted, who is resident in Ireland, who is in receipt of UK invalidity benefit and fulfils the other qualifying conditions, is entitled to a free electricity allowance; and, if not, the reason.
The free electricity allowance is available to persons under 66 when they are in receipt of an Irish invalidity pension or disabled persons maintenance allowance provided certain other qualifying conditions are met. Receipt of UK invalidity benefit does not give entitlement to free electricity allowance.
There are significant differences in the conditions of entitlement to Irish and UK invalidity payments. An Irish invalidity pension is payable only to persons who have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and who are permanently incapacitated. A UK invalidity pension is payable after 28 weeks incapacity and is not subject to a requirement that the person be permanently incapacitated.
Any extension of the present arrangements for free electricity allowance would have to be considered in a budgetary context. Because however of the differences in the Irish and UK schemes it would not be appropriate to extend the free electricity allowance to all UK invalidity pensioners residing here.