Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Nov 1999

Vol. 511 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

John Dennehy

Question:

271 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, review the requirement for persons over the age of 25 years to have five years of PRSI contributions to avail of certain dental benefits in view of the increasing number of persons in further education and training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24369/99]

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

The treatment benefits scheme administered by my Department provides assistance towards the cost of dental, optical and audiology services to people who satisfy certain statutory PRSI conditions, and to their dependent spouses. One of the qualifying conditions requires persons aged 25 years and over to have paid PRSI for a minimum of 260 weeks.

The treatment benefits scheme is a contributory social insurance scheme and the qualifying conditions are set at a level which maintains a reasonable balance between social insurance contributions received and the costs of administering the benefits concerned, which amounted to almost £31 million last year.

Any further changes to the qualifying conditions would have significant cost implications and there are no plans to amend the qualifying conditions at this time.

Nora Owen

Question:

272 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the amount paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin following an appeal concerning the loss of rent allowance while on a community employment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24376/99]

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

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of rent or mortgage interest supplement to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and my Department has no function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.

Rent and mortgage interest supplements are normally calculated to ensure that the person, after the payment of rent has an income equal to the SWA basic weekly payment rate, less £6. This £6 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources.

SWA is subject to a means test and is not ordinarily payable to people in full time employment. However, special arrangements were introduced some years ago to enable people making the transition from welfare to work to retain rent or mortgage interest supplement, subject to certain conditions.

The person to whom the Deputy refers recently wrote to the Department concerning the conditions for the retention of rent supplement by lone parents who are offered places on community employment schemes.

Under the rules of the community employment scheme lone parents are paid a weekly wage in addition to the one-parent family payment in recognition of the fact that lone parents have special requirements raising children and maintaining households on their own. In addition, they may retain their entitlement to rent/mortgage interest supplements, subject to certain conditions. Participants must contribute a standard minimum contribution of £7.50 per week towards their accommodation costs, their gross household income must not exceed £250 per week and their rent or mortgage interest supplementation is subject to a maximum payment of £250 per month. Participants are also required to contribute any assessable means in excess of the appropriate basic supplementary welfare allowance rate towards their rent/mortgage interest supplement.

If the person in question were to take up a place on a CE scheme she would receive approximately £100 per week in addition to her one-parent family payment (OFP) of 103.90. However, her rent supplement would be reduced from £98.50 to £57.70 per week. She should retain her OFP in full and gain almost £60 per week. She may have to meet additional child care expenses, however.

I recognise that the limit of £57.70 per week or £250 per month on the amount of rent supplement which is payable in these cases can act as a disincentive to people taking up offers of community employment.

In that regard, the conditions for retention of rent and mortgage interest supplements, including the income limits and the ceilings on the amounts payable, are currently being reviewed in consultation with the social partners under Partnership 2000.