Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
207 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding the issuing of free travel passes to enable persons who do not have access to a public transport service to avail of taxis; the meetings which have taken place on this matter; the progress made; and the plans of the Government to introduce these passes. [33306/04]
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 certain people with disabilities and people who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
The scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and Luas as well as services provided by over 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of private contractors providing services under the scheme operate in rural areas.
I am always willing to consider applications from licensed private transport operators who may wish to participate in the free travel scheme. However, while my Department pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not in a position to provide transport services where none exist.
Various alternatives to the existing system, including the use of vouchers, have been examined. A study published in 2000 under the Department's programme of expenditure reviews concluded that a voucher type system, which would be open to a wide range of transport providers including taxis and hackneys, would be extremely difficult to administer, open to abuse and unlikely to be sufficient to afford an acceptable amount of travel. This position remains unchanged.
The issue of access to public transport in rural areas is being addressed at present through the rural transport initiative, which is being managed by Area Development Management, ADM, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport. My Department contributes annually to the initiative to ensure that free travel pass holders continue to have full access to community-based transport services.
Significant improvements have been made to the free schemes, including the free travel scheme, in recent budgets both in terms of the qualifying conditions and the coverage of the schemes. I will continue to review the operation of these schemes with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements as resources permit.
208 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the direct provision allowance is €19.10 for an adult and €9.60 for a dependent child; if this rate of payment has not increased since it was introduced in 1999; and if so, the reason therefore; the way in which he ensures that the other needs of children are met, such as clothing and educational materials; the efforts that are made to ensure that asylum seekers are not at risk of poverty; and if he will report on the success of these efforts. [33337/04]
View answerAsylum seekers are catered for under the direct provision system operated by the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Through this service they are provided with accommodation and other facilities to meet their basic living needs. An allowance of €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child is payable weekly to people in direct provision facilities. These rates were set in 1999. Payment of the direct provision allowance is being made on an administrative basis by health board community welfare officers through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. This is an interim measure, pending finalisation of arrangements for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to take over payment of the allowance along with its management of accommodation and related services for asylum-seekers. Similar arrangements are being finalised with the Department of Health and Children for that Department to take over responsibility for payments to unaccompanied minors. The question of the appropriate rate of direct provision allowance would be a matter for consideration in the context of the overall provision for asylum-seekers in the direct provision system.
Asylum-seekers and their families in direct provision are not considered to be at a higher risk of poverty than persons who depend on social welfare scheme payments, given the standard of goods and services provided through the direct provision system. In addition to the direct provision facilities, it is open to any asylum-seeker to seek assistance for a particular once-off need by way of an exceptional needs payments through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
209 Mr. Cregan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which the criteria used to refuse the Christmas bonus to a person (details supplied) can be justified in a case in which a person is clearly a long-term recipient of State welfare; if he will make the necessary changes in the rule in order that such persons will not be excluded from Christmas bonus payments; and if, in the circumstances, the Christmas bonus will be awarded to this person. [33370/04]
View answerThe person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 24 August 2004, having previously been in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance. To date he has received unemployment assistance for 100 days only. For unemployment assistance the bonus is limited to those persons who in any continuous period of unemployment have been in receipt of unemployment assistance or benefit for a period not less than 390 days. He is not therefore entitled to receive a Christmas bonus. There are no proposals to change the current regulations relating to Christmas bonus payments.
210 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has considered the need to update the means test for farm assist in view of the fact that farm organisations claim that at least 6,000 extra farmers are eligible but the assessment procedure does not accurately reflect their income position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33479/04]
View answerFarm assist is a means-tested scheme providing weekly income support to low-income farmers. The assessment of means for the purpose of qualifying for farm assist is designed to reflect the actual net income, which is calculated as gross income less any expenses necessarily incurred from farming. This is based on normal output and costs appropriate to normal stock levels, capacity and market trends. While the income and expenditure figures for the preceding year are generally used as an indicator of the position, account is taken of loss of income due to exceptional circumstances such as the foot and mouth crisis in 2001 or the adverse weather conditions which effected many farmers early in 2002 so as to ensure that the assessment accurately reflects the current situation.
For the purpose of determining the rate of farm assist payable, deductions are allowed from net income in respect of qualified children, with the balance assessed at 70%. In this regard, the means test is more favourable than the scheme's predecessor, the unemployment assistance scheme for small-holders. In addition, income from the rural environment protection scheme is assessed separately, with the first €2,539 and 50% of the balance disregarded, while 40% of net pay from insurable employment and almost €12,700 of capital are also disregarded.
Significant improvements were announced in budget 2005, which will benefit those on farm assist and other social welfare payments, from January 2005. These include a €14 weekly increase in farm assist for a single person, and up to €23.30 per week for a married person. In addition, the capital disregard in the means assessment will increase from under €12,700 to €20,000, from June 2005.
Currently, almost 8,400 farm assist cases are in payment, receiving an average weekly payment of €145.15. It is considered that the current procedures are effective from the perspective of both policy and administration, in achieving the aim of reflecting the normal level of commercial activity on the farm, while having sufficient flexibility to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
To increase awareness of the scheme, the Department undertook a publicity campaign in 2002 which included radio and press advertising, including specialist farming publications, and the production and showing around the country of a promotional video on the scheme. More generally, the network of social welfare offices throughout the country provides information to members of the public on the range of schemes and services available, including the farm assist scheme. Information leaflets and applications forms for farm assist are available at these offices. In addition, social welfare inspectors in rural areas promote the scheme when meeting the public in the course of their duties.
211 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number that are receiving farm assist on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33485/04]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table.
I am satisfied that the farm assist scheme, which was introduced on 7 April 1999, has brought about a worthwhile improvement for low income farmers and particularly for those who are at the lower end of the farm income spectrum.
|
(It should be noted that the figures have been compiled from data that is maintained on a local office catchment area basis and these do not correspond exactly with county boundaries.) |
|
|---|---|
|
County |
Number of Cases |
|
Carlow |
61 |
|
Cavan |
307 |
|
Clare |
438 |
|
Cork |
597 |
|
Donegal |
1,178 |
|
Dublin |
12 |
|
Galway |
901 |
|
Kerry |
655 |
|
Kildare |
45 |
|
Kilkenny |
128 |
|
Laois |
88 |
|
Leitrim |
227 |
|
Limerick |
210 |
|
Longford |
111 |
|
Louth |
68 |
|
Mayo |
1,547 |
|
Meath |
56 |
|
Monaghan |
417 |
|
Offaly |
83 |
|
Roscommon |
326 |
|
Sligo |
345 |
|
Tipperary |
220 |
|
Waterford |
45 |
|
Westmeath |
87 |
|
Wexford |
171 |
|
Wicklow |
56 |
|
Total |
8,379 |
