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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 7 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Paul Bradford

Question:

63 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a person who is eligible to hold a free telephone rental allowance can use the value of the allowance against a mobile phone bill in circumstances where the allowance holder has a mobile rather than a land line telephone. [10928/98]

The free telephone rental allowance is 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 this condition. It is also available to certain people with disabilities under that age who are in receipt of certain welfare type pensions. In addition, widows/widowers between the ages of 60 and 65, whose late spouses had been in receipt of the free schemes, retain that entitlement. The purpose of the allowance is to provide an element of protection and security for older and disabled people in their homes, who are either living alone or with persons who would be unable to summon help in an emergency. The allowance, which is only for land lines, covers the rental charges and a small number of free calls. In common with other schemes of this nature, the free telephone rental allowance scheme is kept under review with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements and the issue raised by the Deputy will be considered in that context.

Richard Bruton

Question:

64 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs whether he will consider entering into discussions with the public transport companies to enable persons on free travel passes to travel during the morning peak hours in cases where they are travelling to attend a hospital appointment. [10930/98]

Morning and evening peak time travel restrictions apply in relation to free travel on bus services operated by the CIE group in the major urban centres. namely, Dublin, Cork and Limerick, and on certain long distance services from these cities on Friday evenings. There are no peak time travel restrictions on DART or on suburban rail services in Dublin and Cork, or on services provided by CIE and private transport operators in other parts of the country. These restrictions have been in operation since the inception of the scheme in 1967.

The purpose of these restrictions, instigated at CIE's request, is to ensure that adequate space is available on the bus services of Dublin Bus and the city bus services in Cork and Limerick for commuters to and from work and school. An exception to the peak time travel restrictions is made in the case of people in receipt of disability allowance and blind person's pension who attend recognised long-term rehabilitation courses and for certain invalidity pensioners engaged on work experience programmes. These clients are issued with an unrestricted free travel pass which enables them to travel during the normally restricted travel times.

Extension of unrestricted access to urban services at peak time on a more widespread basis would cause capacity problems for CIE and would give rise to additional cost. However, the Department will continue to monitor the situation in consultation with the CIE group to assess the scope for improvements having regard to the capacity and cost constraints.

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