Vol. 404 No. 5
30 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the guidelines in relation to the free telephone rental allowance in order to include for eligibility purposes the situation where the applicant is confined to a wheelchair and the only other occupant in the house is absent for a considerable period of time because of their occupation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The free telephone rental allowance applies to certain categories of old age pensioners and persons who are permanently incapacitated. Such a person can qualify for an allowance if he or she is living alone, or only with children under 15 years of age, or with somebody who is so incapacitated that they cannot get help in an emergency.
33 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 whose spouse receives £55 per week for part-time work at present and who, as a result, has now been told that he is not entitled to receive the weekly payment of £35.80 for his spouse or the £8 fuel allowance since her income exceeds the £50.00; if full benefit will be restored following review; and if collection of an overpayment will be suspended.
The person concerned was awarded invalidity pension together with a free fuel allowance from 19 January 1989. He was also awarded an increase in pension in respect of his spouse as he stated that she was not in employment, or in receipt of a social welfare payment in her own right, and that she had no RSI number.
It was discovered in January 1991, in the course of a survey of her employer by the Department's investigation branch, that the person's spouse had been in employment since 1986. An adult dependant allowance is not payable where the adult dependant is earning more than £55 per week, £50 per week prior to July 1990.
Following further inquiries the person forwarded a detailed statement of his spouse's earnings since 1986 and these showed that her income exceeded the earnings limit.
