Gay Mitchell
Question:896 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his plans to extend the free fuel scheme to all persons over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1514/01]
Vol. 529 No. 1
896 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his plans to extend the free fuel scheme to all persons over 70 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1514/01]
924 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will include the national fuel scheme in the free scheme extensions to all people over the age of 70, irrespective of household income or composition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2048/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 896 and 924 together.
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. Fuel allowances of £5 per week are paid to eligible households and £8 per week is paid in smokeless zones. The free schemes have a different aim. They are designed to provide additional assistance to people aged 66 or over, people with disabilities and carers who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are either living alone, or who otherwise satisfy the living alone condition. In addition, widows and widowers between the age of 60 and 65 whose late spouses had entitlement to the free schemes retain that entitlement notwithstanding their age.
898 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will re-examine an application for a back to education allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; to determine the assistance that can be offered to the person. [1536/01]
The back to education allowance is a second chance educational opportunities programme designed to encourage and facilitate certain groups, including people who have been unemployed for a certain minimum period, to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. To qualify for participation an unemployed person must, inter alia, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for at least six months – 156 days – immediately prior to commencing an approved course of study.
The person concerned had been in receipt of unemployment benefit for only 106 days prior to participation in a third level course and is not, therefore, eligible for the allowance under the existing rules of the scheme.
Question No. 899 answered with Question No. 886.