Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Rory O'Hanlon

Question:

818 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the date of first payment of new and increased benefits and allowances provided by his Department in each of the years from 1996 to 2001; the proposals he has for the payment of increases in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22036/01]

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

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to dates of increases in weekly social welfare payments during the period 1996 to 2001 inclusive is contained in the following table.

Dates of Social Welfare Increases, 1996 to 2001

Year	Date of Increases	Budget Increases Paid For
1996	Week beginning 10 June, 1996	Budget increases paid for 29 weeks in 1996
1997	Week beginning 9 June, 1997	Budget increases paid for 29 weeks in 1997
1998	Week beginning 1 June, 1998	Budget increases paid for 31 weeks in 1998
1999	Week beginning 31 May, 1999	Budget increases paid for 31 weeks in 1999
2000	Week beginning 1 May, 2000	Budget increases paid for 35 weeks in 2000
2001	Week beginning 2 April, 2001	Budget Increases paid for 39 weeks in 2001

In addition, I also brought forward, in 2001, the date of increases in child benefit by three months, from September to June. As can be seen from the table, I aligned the date of increases in weekly social welfare payments with the commencement of the income tax year in 2001. This arrangement will be continued in 2002 following the alignment of the income tax and calendar years. Accordingly, the budget increases in weekly rates of social welfare payments in 2002 will be effective from the week commencing 31 December 2001.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

819 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a back to school allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22037/01]

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

The back to school clothing and footwear or BSCF allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards in parallel with the supplementary welfare allowance or SWA scheme. The scheme is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. The scheme operates from the beginning of June to the end of September each year.

A person may qualify for payment of the BSCF allowance if they are in receipt of a social welfare or health board payment or participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education and training course and have household income at or below certain prescribed levels.

Under the scheme an allowance of £63 is payable in respect of qualified children from 2 to 11 years and an allowance of £78 is payable in respect of qualified children from 12 to 22 years. The South-Western Area Health Board was contacted on behalf of the person concerned and has advised that her application form had been inadvertently misplaced. The form has now been located and a favourable decision reached. The health board has further advised that the person concerned should call to the local health centre with her child benefit book where the community welfare officer will issue her with a payment for £63.

Michael Ring

Question:

820 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason persons holding a free travel pass cannot use this within EU States; if this issue has been raised at EU level; and if not, if the Government will raise this issue, or whether it must be initiated at EU level. [22173/01]

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

The free travel scheme is generally available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. The scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services within the State. 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 review of the free schemes, which was published by the Policy Institute, Trinity College Dublin in April last year, considered that the primary objective of the free travel scheme is to encourage older people and people with disabilities to remain independent and active within the community, thereby reducing the need for institutional care. Extending the scheme to cover travel within other EU states is clearly outside the scope and objective of the scheme.

At EU level, a report ‘Towards a Senior Euro Pass', was commissioned by the Social Affairs Directorate of the European Commission and published by Age Concern, England at the end of 1997. This report recommends that EU states should establish a senior euro pass card which would entitle older people to concessions on various services, including travel, cultural and social activities. However, I understand that further work on this issue has been suspended at EU level.

The role of my Department in matters relating to the senior euro pass, which is a completely separate scheme to my Department's free travel scheme, is to submit observations, as required, in conjunction with other Departments, statutory and non-statutory bodies on any action taken to implement the proposals in this report, in so far as they affect the business of this Department. The administration of the euro pass itself is outside the remit of my Department.

The free travel scheme, in common with the other free schemes operated by this Department, will be kept under review with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements.