Written Answers. - Review of Free Schemes.
John Gormley
Question:
62
Mr. Gormley
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will pursue the issue of disabled people with free travel passes being unable to access public transport with the relevant authorities in order to rectify the situation.
[8697/00]
Emmet Stagg
Question:
97
Mr. Stagg
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the plans, if any, he has to end the discrimination against retired public sector workers with modified stamps regarding the operation of the free schemes.
[10544/00]
Richard Bruton
Question:
318
Mr. R. Bruton
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the changes recommended in the recent review of the free schemes operated by his Department; and if he will publish this review.
[10744/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 97 and 318 together.
The review of the free schemes is being published by the Policy Institute, Trinity College, Dublin, today and I will be launching this later this evening. I have arranged that a copy of the report will be made available to Members of both Houses this afternoon.
This is the first major review of these schemes since they were introduced in the 1960s. The 12 priority proposals put forward for consideration in the review are as follows extension of the free schemes to all people over the age of 75, regardless of income and household composition; extension of the free electricity allowance and free TV licence to carers in receipt of carer's allowance; introduction of the same living alone conditions for all free schemes by relaxing the living alone conditions for the free telephone rental allowance; increase in the number of electricity units allowed from 1,500 to 1,800 per annum; increase in the number of telephone call units allowed from 120 to 240 per annum; extension of the free fuel schemes to all people aged 75 and over regardless of income and household composition; establishment of a social transport fund to support local transport initiatives in order to address specific transport access and take-up inequities. The type of services envisaged would be community based, outside the public transport system and probably not sustainable without some type of subsidy; extension of the companion free travel pass to people in receipt of invalidity pension who are unable to travel alone; alignment of the three household schemes into a single household benefits package; investigation of alternative payment arrangements and supplier relationships to achieve best value for money for the goods and services provided under the aegis of the schemes; establishment of a rational and transparent basis for reimbursing the suppliers of free travel services and placing the schemes on a statutory basis and funding the cost of the schemes for persons in receipt of contributory pensions from the Social Insurance Fund.
I have already implemented, in Budget 2000, the first two of the above proposals. This extends the free schemes to all people aged over 75 regardless of income and household composition and also to carers in receipt of the carer's allowance. In addition, I have provided in the Social Welfare Act, 2000, that the cost of the schemes will be funded from the social insurance fund for those in receipt of contributory pensions.
I also intend to move towards the establishment of a single household benefits scheme in future budgets. This will amalgamate the existing separate free schemes administered by my Department into a single household benefits scheme with a streamlined application process.
The review considered the difficulties involved in access to public transport services. In this regard it notes that there are two main groups affected: those who have a disability which prevents them using the service and those for whom a service does not exist, which mainly affects those living in rural areas. This problem, which is unrelated to the free travel scheme, is part of a wider social and infrastructure problem, affecting all those who are disadvantaged and who can neither afford their own transport or avail of access to public transport. The report notes that while my Department pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not obliged to provide services where none exist, nor is it in a position to provide vehicles access ible to people with disabilities. These are matters for the transport providers concerned and for my colleague the Minister for Public Enterprise who has responsibility for public transport.
However, the review of the free schemes does recommend that a social transport fund be supported and made available to voluntary and community based organisations for the provision of local transport initiatives that would be unlikely to operate without a subsidy. Such a fund would be mainly social in nature and could facilitate the provision of wheelchair accessible vehicles. The review considered it appropriate that such a fund could be managed locally, perhaps by the local authorities, in view of their knowledge of local services and to maintain community autonomy.
The review of the free schemes also examined the issue of extending the free schemes to retired public servants and recommended that this group should qualify for the frees schemes in view of the wider social objectives of care in the community. The review considered that the extension of the frees to those over age 75 would be of significant benefit to this group.
The report examines a great number of issues and requires detailed consideration. I will carefully examine all the recommendations made in this report in the context of future budgets and available resources.
