Vol. 192 No. 5
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that contributory old age pensioners receiving only partial benefit are excluded by Departmental regulation from the free fuel scheme, even though recipients of non-contributory old age pensions drawing a similar sum per week enjoy free fuel; and if he will take steps to correct this anomaly.
28.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider instructing local authorities to supply free turf to the recipients of contributory old age pensions.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to answer Questions Nos. 27 and 28 together.
Unlike non-contributory old age pensioners, contributory old age pensioners are not subject to a means test and cannot be presumed, generally speaking, to be in necessitous circumstances. Many of them, in fact, are still in employment or in receipt of superannuation payments from their former employers. If any contributory pensioners are genuinely in need they are eligible for home assistance and in that event are entitled to obtain fuel free of charge from the public assistance authority. In these circumstances, I do not consider that any action on my part is called for.
The Minister is prepared to disqualify these people in globo for the receipt of turf vouchers.
There is no question of that. If they are in need, they can be given free fuel or assistance in kind by the local authority.
That is not the present situation as far as the regulation he has sent out to local authorities is concerned.
They are not entitled to it as a class but if they are in need, they can be given it, the same as anybody else.
They are being disqualified at the moment in globo.
Is the Minister aware that there are some of these people who were getting 30/- a week old age pension who are now getting only 30/- a week contributory old age pension and have lost the turf? I can read out the names of people in Waterford.
If they are in need, the local authority can give them the assistance.
Can they give them the turf?
Yes.
Question No. 29
Does the Minister stand over that?
The Deputy might listen to the reply to his own question, No. 29.
The Minister said that, if they are in need, the local authority can give them the turf?
Yes.
Do you stand over that?
Yes.
I want to be sure that that is on the record because I have had Fianna Fáil Ministers running out on me before.
So do I. It is very important.
