Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 7

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Ivan Yates

Question:

220 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will seek as part of the forthcoming budget to confer, on widows under 66 years of age, the same fringe benefits as those over 66 years such as free electricity, free fuel and free telephone rental allowances and free television licences and so on in view of the fact that they are in very similar circumstances financially and that this longstanding anomaly should be rectified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17191/97]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The free schemes such as the free electricity allowance, the free telephone rental allowance and free TV licence are available to people, usually aged 66 or over, who are in receipt of a welfare type payment and who are either living alone or who otherwise satisfy the living alone condition. In addition, widows-widowers between the age of 60 and 65, whose late spouses had entitlement to the free schemes, retain that entitlement. Widows and widowers may also be eligible for a fuel allowance subject to satisfying a means test.

To extend the free schemes to all widows under the age of 66 would involve significant additional expenditure which could only be considered in the light of the resources available.