Mary Flaherty
Question:18 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he will announce details of the new grant scheme for security alarms for the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the take-up of the 1996 scheme. [2836/97]
Written Answers. - Security of the Elderly.
Trevor Sargent
Question:21 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will take into account the problem for many elderly people in rural communities with the community support for older people scheme in view of the fact that the requirement that a voluntary organisation must apply for grant assistance necessitates an unknown number of people knowing that an individual feels vulnerable to attack; and if he will allow applications from individuals in view of this legitimate fear. [3613/97]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 18 and 21 together.
As the Deputies will be aware one of the recommendations of the Special Task Force on Security for the Elderly established in 1996 was that my Department introduce a once-off £2 million grant scheme to provide grant-aid to voluntary organisations in relation to security initiatives for the elderly. That recommendation was accepted.
Subsequently, the Minister established a National Advisory Committee, on which the National Council for the Elderly, the Irish Association of Victim Support, the Reach Out Campaign, Muintir na Tíre, the Irish Country-women's Association and the Garda Síochána (Neighbourhood Watch) were represented, to advise on a suitable scheme that would ensure that the available funds were targeted on the most vulnerable older people and the best possible value for money was achieved.
On the basis of the advice of this advisory committee and taking into account the amount of money available and the cost of security equipment, I decided that funding could be provided for small-scale physical security equipment such as strengthening of doors and windows, window locks, door chains and locks and security lighting; and socially monitored alarm systems.
The scheme was operated on a once off basis and was reviewed by the National Advisory Committee at the end of December 1996. Expenditure under the scheme in 1996 was £2.562 million. A total of 528 voluntary organisations received funding with some 14,944 individuals receiving assistance. It is expected that a similar number of individuals will benefit in 1997.
Based on the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee and the obvious need to ensure that the most vulnerable older people continue to be assisted the Minister obtained a further £2 million in this year's budget to enable the scheme to continue in 1997.
The scheme will be advertised shortly in the national papers and will be open for all community and voluntary organisations working with, or providing support for, the elderly to apply. The scheme will operate on the same basis as in 1996.
It was decided that to make the funds available through voluntary organisations was the most appropriate way of ensuring that the most vulnerable older people are targeted by the scheme. I was aware that many voluntary organisations were already providing services such as those covered by the scheme and had developed expertise and local contacts. Voluntary groups operate close to the ground and are aware of the greatest need in their communities. Working with the voluntary sector to deliver these funds to the most needy has the advantage that individual older people need not make an application and can have their needs met with the minimum of administration and without the need for a formal assessment of their circumstances by departmental staff. I am satisfied that this was the most appropriate way in which to structure my Department's response to the situation.
Those who can benefit from the scheme include older people, i.e. people aged 65 or over, living alone or living in households made up exclusively of older people, or of older and other people who are dependent and vulnerable. Priority in allocating available funds will be given to the most vulnerable older people. Vulnerability is difined in terms of advanced age, disability and isolation.
Denis Foley
Question:20 Mr. Foley asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will increase the means threshold for the non-contributory old age pension and in particular the means threshold under the national fuel scheme for contributory old age pensioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3426/97]
An old age non-contributory pensioner can have weekly means of up to £6 and still qualify for the maximum rate of pension. Where a pensioner's weekly means exceed £6, the pension is reduced by £2 for each additional £2 of means. This means that an old age pensioner can have weekly means of up to £68 — £70 from June — and still qualify for a reduced rate old age — non-contributory pension.
During the debate in this House on last year's Social Welfare Bill, I made known that I was taking the opportunity of the introduction of the new one parent family payment and the new disability allowance to commence the process of standardising the provisions of the assessment of capital across all of the various social assistance payments, including old age non-contributory pension on a phased basis.
This year's Social Welfare Bill provides for an extension of these new arrangements to old age non-contributory pensioners with effect from October. Under the new provisions, the first £2,000 of capital will be disregarded, the next £20,000, will be assessed at 7.5 per cent and capital in excess of £22,000, if any, will be assessed at 15 per cent.
This means that a single old age non-contributory pensioner will qualify for the maximum rate of payment where they have capital of up to £6,160. The equivalent amount of capital for a couple will be £12,320. An old age non-contributory pensioner will still qualify for a pension where he-she has capital of up to £35,000 in the case of a single person, or £71,100 in the case of a couple.
The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist qualified householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Applicants must live alone or only with qualified dependants, a carer, a person in receipt of a short-term unemployment assistance payment or a person who qualifies for a fuel allowance in their own right. A payment of £5 per week — £8 in smokeless zones — is paid to eligible households for 26 weeks, from mid-October to mid-April.
People in receipt of a non-contributory pension automatically qualify for payment under the national fuel scheme as their means are already assessed for pension purposes.
In order to be eligible for assistance under the national fuel scheme the income of a contributory pensioner and his household must be below a certain limit. In 1995 I increased this income limit from £5 to £10 per week in excess of the maximum contributory pension rate. Last year, I announced a further £5 increase in the income limit which took effect from October 1996. This means that a person may have a combined household income of £15 per week over the appropriate Irish maximum contributory pension rate, or savings-investments of £8,000, and still qualify for the fuel allowance.
A review of the scheme was recently carried out on behalf of my Department by independent consultants to ensure that the scheme is operating effectively and equitably. A draft of the consultant's report was received a short time ago and any changes to the scheme will be examined when the consultant's final report has been received. Any recommendations arising from the report with financial implications could only be considered in the light of available resources. I propose to place a copy of the report in the Oireachtas Library and will send a copy to the Deputy when it is available. I am hopeful the report will enable Deputies to consider the best options in addressing the question of fuel poverty.
Rory O'Hanlon
Question:24 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to ensure that persons in receipt of widow's pension, who are permanently incapacitated, receive the same entitlements as those in receipt of invalidity pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4972/97]
I understand that the Deputy is referring to access to the free schemes administered by my Department.
Recipients of invalidity pension from my Department qualify for free travel as do widows aged 66 or over.
Recipients of invalidity pension and widows, aged 66 or over, and in receipt of a widow's pension, can also avail of the other free schemes administered by my Department such as free electricity and natural gas allowances, free TV licence and free telephone rental allowance if they satisfy the qualifying conditions.
The Deputy will also be aware that widows between the ages of 60 and 65, whose late husbands had entitlement to the free schemes, retain that entitlement notwithstanding their age.
The question of extending access to the free schemes to widows in receipt of a widow's pension from my Department who do not currently have access to the schemes, and who are also permanently incapacitated, will be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources and expenditure priorities.