Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
207
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will extend the free travel allowance to those who are unable to avail of the scheme due to the lack of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20450/01]
The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by semi-State companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as services provided by some 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of these private contractors operate in rural areas. My Department is always willing to consider further applications from licensed private transport operators who may wish to participate in the free travel scheme.
A review of the free schemes was published in April last year by the Policy Institute, Trinity College Dublin. 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 review 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 accessible 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. In this regard, an important initiative was launched this week, details of which I outline below.
The review examined a number of alternatives to the existing system including the use of vouchers. It considered that a voucher type system, which would be open to a wide range of transport providers including taxis and hackneys, would be complicated and less feasible than the current system. Voucher schemes, by their nature, can introduce stigma to a scheme. The use of vouchers is not in keeping with a fundamental aspect of the scheme as originally envisaged, that of using existing spare capacity on public transport as it covers the country. It would do little to facilitate the provision of public transport services where none exist nor would it facilitate the provision of accessible 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. This proposal needs to be considered further by the relevant Government departments.
In this regard, an interdepartmental working group on rural transport has been established, chaired by the Department of the Environment and Local Government and including a representative from my Department, to consider how best to address the rural transport deficit. The group has been charged with the development of a template which can be used by each county development board in carrying out a comprehensive countywide audit of rural passenger transport services to establish the extent to which people in rural Ireland have access to such services and to establish reasonable rural passenger transport needs. In this regard, a consultancy study has recently been initiated which will provide technical assistance in the template development.
I understand the audits will serve two main purposes, namely, to form part of the wide rang ing audit of services which is being undertaken by each county development board in the context of their preparation of their county strategy for economic, social and cultural development, and to assist the Government in developing policy proposals on rural passenger transport.
In addition, my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise, Deputy O'Rourke, announced this week an important rural transport initiative. A sum of £3.5 million has been provided for under the national development plan to support the development of pilot public transport initiatives in rural areas. The aim of the funding is to encourage innovative community based initiatives to provide transport services in rural areas with a view to addressing the issue of social exclusion in rural Ireland which is caused by lack of access to transport. The pilot actions supported by these funds will allow for a body of knowledge and experience on the subject to be developed, assimilated and disseminated. The successful types of services, operational methods and means of organisation will emerge, and these will be a guide to future policy formulation.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
208
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will reduce the qualifying contributions for eligibility for dental benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20451/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
209
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will reduce the qualifying contributions for eligibility for ophthalmic benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20452/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.
The treatment benefit scheme provides a range of benefits in the areas of dental, optical and aural treatment for qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouses. The PRSI contributions which are reckonable for treatment benefit are classes A, E, H and P. The PRSI contribution conditions relating to entitlement to these benefits vary depending on the age of the insured person. Persons aged under 21 must have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work in order to qualify while persons aged from 21 to 24 must have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year.
In the case of persons aged from 25 to 65, the requirement is that they have at least 260 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year. Persons aged 66 or over are required to have at least 260 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in either of the last two tax years before reaching age 66.
Any change in the insurance conditions for receipt of treatment benefits would have financial implications and would be a matter for consideration within the constraints of available resources. While I have no specific proposals at present for changing the qualifying conditions of the areas within the treatment benefit scheme, the operation of the scheme is subject to ongoing monitoring by my Department.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
210
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will increase levels of contributory and non-contributory old age pensions by 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20453/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
216
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his proposals to increase the payments to widows; if he will consider increases of 20% in 2002 to compensate for inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20459/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 216 together.
At £850 million, last December's social welfare budget allocation is the biggest ever and more than double last year's welfare package. This allocation will, to an unprecedented extent, direct the resources of the State at the needs of our disadvantaged citizens and communities. Among the most significant of these improvements are a £10 a week increase for single old age pensioners, an increase of up to £25 a week for pensioner couples of 66 years and over, a special increase of £12.90 for contributory widows and widowers over 66 years, an £8 a week increase for other single recipients under 66 years, a £15 increase for couples under 66 years and £25 and £30 increases in monthly child benefit for the lower and higher rates, respectively, with increases paid three months earlier from June.
The £10 increase for pensioners represents an increase ranging between 10.4% and 11.7%, while the £8 general increase represents an increase ranging between 9% and 10.5%. With a predicted annual average rate of inflation of 4.5% this year, this year's improvements represent substantial real increases. The special increase for contributory widows or widowers, pensioners and recipients of deserted wife's benefit aged 66 years and over amounts to an overall increase of 14.5%.
In addition, increases ranging between 13.1% and 17.4% in the rate of qualified adult allowances were provided this year as part of an overall strategy to increase this allowance to 70% of the main rate by 2002. The additional increase for qualified adults aged 66 and over of contributory pensioners represents combined increases of between 23.2% and 25.9%. Again these increases represent significant real increases. Furthermore, as part of the process of aligning tax and social welfare changes by 2001, all these increases have been paid four weeks earlier this year from the beginning of April.
As part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the Government has entered into a number of social inclusion commitments with the social partners. This programme provides that over the period up to 2003, all rates of social welfare will be increased in real terms and substantial progress will be made towards a target of £100 a week for the lower rates of payment. For families, substantial progress will be made towards a target child benefit rate of £100 per month for the third and subsequent child. Any further increases in the levels of old age and widows pensions would have financial implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context in the light of available resources and having regard to the Government's other priorities.
Question No. 211 answered with Question No. 47.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
212
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his proposals to reduce the qualifying age for contributory or non-contributory old age pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20455/01]
I have no plans at present to reduce the qualifying age for receipt of old age contributory and non-contributory pensions which currently stands at 66 years.
Questions Nos. 213 and 214 answered with Question No. 35.
