Vol. 418 No. 7
334 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a decision has been made regarding a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has been disallowed a free electricity allowance and butter vouchers; and if arrangements will be made to have these allowances approved and issued.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of a widow's contributory pension. Up until the 66th birthday last August she was also in receipt of a means based blind person's pension.
As both pensions cannot be paid concurrently to persons over age 66, blind person's pension had to be terminated in this case in August 1991. Due to an administrative error, free electricity allowance was cancelled as a result of the termination of the blind person's pension. This error came to light in December 1991 and the ESB were requested to restore free electricity allowance immediately, from the date of termination. It has been confirmed with the ESB that this allowance has been restored.
The person concerned is not entitled to butter vouchers as these are only payable to people in receipt of a means tested payment from this Department.
