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Social Welfare Benefits.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 April 2006

Thursday, 6 April 2006

Questions (252, 253, 254)

John Deasy

Question:

253 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on paying the free telephone allowance to qualifying recipients as part of their weekly social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13911/06]

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Written answers

The household benefit package of free schemes comprises the electricity and gas allowance, telephone allowance and free television licence and is available to people living permanently in the State who satisfy specific qualifying criteria. The telephone allowance is applied as a cash credit on recipients' telephone bills. The value of the allowance is set at €20.41 per month —€40.82 per two months — excluding VAT. Applying the allowance in this way assists the recipient in managing their household budget.

A survey carried out as part of the review of the free schemes and published in 2000 indicated that the majority of respondents favour retaining the household benefit package of free schemes in preference to a cash payment. The respondents stated that they would not be able to avail of the services covered by the schemes without the benefit of the household benefit package.

John McGuinness

Question:

254 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if rent allowance has been approved in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; if an increased amount has been granted; and if arrears will be granted. [13941/06]

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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in decisions on individual claims. This case concerns rent supplement. The Health Service Executive has confirmed that the person concerned has requested a review of the amount of rent supplement in payment. The executive has advised that details of earnings from the person concerned have been requested and a decision on her entitlement will be made when this information has been supplied.

Jerry Cowley

Question:

255 Dr. Cowley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views, in the case of babies born prematurely, of an additional interim maternity payment for the parents, to ensure that families do not run into financial hardship while caring for these premature babies, who very often have to reside in Dublin for long periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13966/06]

View answer

The Deputy is referring to situations where a new baby is hospitalised for an extended period after birth and implications arising from that situation where entitlement to maternity benefit and maternity leave is of a defined duration. Entitlement to maternity benefit is contingent in the first instance on entitlement to statutory maternity leave. The right to maternity leave is established under maternity protection legislation, which is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

This issue was considered in conjunction with the social partners in the context of a review of maternity protection legislation in 2001. The recommendation was that in the event of hospitalisation of a child, an employee should be able to return to work after a minimum of 14 weeks maternity leave, retaining her entitlement to take the balance of her leave when her baby was discharged from hospital. With effect from October 2004, the legislation was amended to provide for these situations. Where maternity benefit has been in payment for a minimum period of 14 weeks, payment may be postponed where the baby has been hospitalised.

The legislation requires that an application to postpone payment must be made in writing; that the maximum duration of the postponement of benefit will be six months, and that payment will resume within seven days following written notification of the baby's discharge from hospital. Payment will then resume until the full duration of benefit is completed. Any further amendments to these provisions would be a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to consider in the first instance.

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