Vol. 508 No. 4
197 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the free travel scheme, available to pensioners resident here, to non-resident pensioners visiting Ireland as contained in a letter (details supplied) and in view of the forthcoming report on free schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19210/99]
A fundamental review of the free schemes is being carried out to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being
achieved in the most efficient and effective manner. This includes an examination of the qualifying conditions for the schemes, the target group, the scope for alternative policy arrangements and the extension to other groups, including those to whom the Deputy refers.
The review of the free schemes, which is already at an advanced stage, is being carried out by an official of my Department on secondment, as a visiting research fellow at the policy institute, Trinity College, Dublin. The conclusions of the review will be considered in the context of budget 2000.
It is expected that the research conducted will be formally published by the policy institute in the "Trinity Studies in Public Policy" series in January 2000.
198 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the costs of payments to asylum seekers in 1998; the estimated costs in 1999; if he will give details of the system recently introduced to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19216/99]
199 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the feedback, if any, he has received from officers administrating the supplementary welfare allowance scheme with regard to dealing with claims by illegal immigrants; the cost of payments to illegal immigrants and asylum seekers for 1998 and to date in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19217/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides entitlement to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department. Payment is made in accordance with the relevant legislation as long as the person is resident in the State. Payments to asylum seekers, and to people who may be found in due course to be illegal immigrants, are made on the same basis as payments to other recipients.
Total expenditure on SWA payments to asylum seekers was approximately £22 million in 1998. Expenditure to date in 1999 is estimated at £25 million and is expected to reach £35 million by the end of 1999.
The proportion of this expenditure attributable to persons who may be found to be illegal immigrants is not available. In relation to feedback from community welfare officers, my officials liaise regularly with health board staff. Control measures are in place to ensure that action is taken when inappropriate claims for SWA are made, whether by illegal immigrants or by any other groups.
The United Kingdom has not, in fact, introduced a new system to meet the basic needs of asylum seekers but it intends to do so with effect from 1 April next. The new system will be overseen by the UK Home Office and my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, is monitoring those developments.
