Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Richard Bruton

Question:

403 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the cost of extending sickness benefit to self-employed persons who pay the class S contribution; and if he will sympathetically consider the introduction of such a scheme. [23102/00]

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

The annual cost of extending cover for disability benefit to the self-employed – class S PRSI contributors – would be in the region of £26 million. This costing assumes a level of take-up by the self-employed similar to that currently experienced in relation to insured workers. Disability benefit is currently available to certain employed contributors who are unfit for work due to illness. In addition, these contributors are also covered for invalidity pension which is a payment made to those permanently incapable of work. The self-employed are not covered for disability benefit or invalidity pension.

In this regard, the National Pensions Board examined the question of extending cover for invalidity pension to the self-employed and, in its final report, 1993, recommended against extending such cover at that time. The board felt that cover for permanent incapacity for the self-employed would be best met through a means-tested invalidity allowance. The board's recommendation for the introduction of a means-tested invalidity allowance has since been met by the introduction of the disability allowance in October 1996. However, it also recommended that the question of introducing social insurance cover for invalidity pension for the self-employed should be reviewed not later than five years after the introduction of the proposed means-tested scheme, in the light of experience in its application.

There are no plans at present to extend social insurance cover for disability benefit, or invalidity pension, to the self-employed. The self-employed and others who are not covered for disability benefit are eligible to apply for supplementary welfare allowance if they experience a need for an income maintenance payment during periods of illness. All persons who are suffering from an illness or infirmity which may reasonably be expected to last for a year or more and who do not qualify for invalidity pension are eligible to apply for disability allowance.

Questions Nos. 404 and 405 taken with Question No. 398.

Deirdre Clune

Question:

406 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason free fuel allowance is not available to a person over 75 years living with her son despite the fact that she is entitled to a free electricity allowance, free telephone rental and a free television licence allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23122/00]

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

The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. A payment of £5 per week – £8 per week in smokeless zones – is made to eligible households for 26 weeks from mid-October to mid-April regardless of the temperature.

One of the conditions of the scheme is that the person must live alone or only with qualified dependants, a carer, a person in receipt of a short-term unemployment assistance payment or a person who qualifies for a fuel allowance in their own right.

The fuel allowance schemes are different in nature to the free schemes and, therefore, qualification conditions differ significantly. In particular, the fuel allowance schemes are means-tested and are not age-related. The free schemes, on the other hand, are mainly payable to certain categories of recipients, such as pensioners, carers and people with disabilities to support care in the community.

The free schemes were recently extended to all people aged 75 years or over regardless of income and household composition and carers in receipt of carer's allowance. It is quite possible, therefore, for a person to qualify for free schemes and not qualify for fuel allowance on grounds of means or household composition or both.

I recognise the importance of fuel allowances to pensioners and I am also conscious of the need to simplify the social welfare system, whenever possible. However, the question of aligning the qualifying conditions for fuel allowances and free schemes has to be considered in the context of the budget and in the light of alternative proposals for delivering improvements in social welfare supports to pensioners and others.

In the meantime, I would point out that fuel allowances are not the sole mechanism through which assistance is provided for people with heating needs.

There is a facility available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs. An application for a heating supplement may be made by contacting the community welfare officer at the local health centre.

Where a person would not normally qualify for a heating supplement there is provision under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to pay an exceptional needs payment. Exceptional needs payments are payable at the discretion of the health board taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.