Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
617 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will consider improving entitlements under the optical and dental benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17884/04]
View answerThe treatment benefit scheme operated by my Department provides to insured persons and their dependent spouses a range of services in the area of dental, optical and aural benefit.
The availability of these benefits is subject to certain PRSI contribution conditions. The PRSI contribution classes which qualify for treatment benefit are A, E, H and P.
The operation of the schemes is subject to ongoing monitoring by my Department. I have no proposals, at present, for amending the dental and optical benefit schemes and any changes would be a matter for consideration in a budgetary context within the constraints of available resources.
618 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will consider extending the free travel allowance to a wider category of applicant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17885/04]
View answerThe free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over, to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance.
It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such as disability allowance, invalidity pension and blind person's pension. People who live in health board approved residential care who were previously receiving disability allowance from my Department or disabled person's maintenance allowance from a health board are also entitled to a free travel pass. Further extensions to the free travel scheme could only be considered in a budgetary context and taking account of the financial and other needs of those not covered by the existing arrangements.
619 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has examined the extent to which cost of living price increases has eroded widows pensions and similar social welfare payments; if she will consider proposals to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17886/04]
View answerBudget 2004 provided for increases in the weekly personal rates of social welfare payments, which were well ahead of inflation, as follows: a €11.50 increase in the maximum personal rate of widow/er's contributory pension and deserted wife's benefit for those aged 66 years and over, this represents an increase of 7.4% and a real increase, which is well ahead of inflation; and a €10 increase in the maximum personal rate of all other weekly payments, including all other widow/er's pensions and all old age pensions. These changes represent increases ranging from 6.4% to 10.3% and real increases which are well ahead of inflation.
Budget 2004 also provided for: increases in the weekly rate of qualified adult allowances ranging from 6.3% to 11.4%, again representing substantial real increases; child benefit increases of €6 per month for the first two children and €8 for the third and subsequent child; an increase of €200, from €2,500 to €2,700, in the widowed parent grant; a €100 increase in the respite care grant, and a significant increase in the weekly income disregard for carer's allowance.
Over the period 1997 to 2004 social welfare spending has nearly doubled, from €5.7 billion to a projected €11.3 billion in 2004.
In this period, rates were increased far in excess of the cost of living. For example, the rate of old age pension has increased by 80%, representing a real increase of over 40%; the old age contributory pension has increased by 69%, representing a real increase of 32%; the widow/er's contributory pension aged 66 years and over has increased by 85.3%, representing a real increase of 45%.
The levels of increases provided in budget 2004, in conjunction with the levels of increases provided over the period from 1998, demonstrate the Government's continuing commitment to safeguard and enhance the living standards of the most vulnerable in our society.
