asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she is satisfied with the present policy of (a) paying different rates of unemployment assistance to persons in urban and rural areas and (b) the provision of fuel vouchers only to those in urban areas; and, if not, the proposals she has to eliminate these anomalies.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Differentation in Urban and Rural Areas.
174.
The payment of higher rates of unemployment assistance in certain urban areas than in other areas has always been a feature of the unemployment assistance scheme. It can be argued that in principle the same rates of assistance should apply in all areas. However the establishment of a unified rate of assistance would have financial implications and would be a matter for consideration in a budgetary context.
The existence of separate fuel schemes in certain urban areas with different conditions of entitlement from those which apply under the national fuel scheme administered by the health boards is not a satisfactory situation. The possibility of effecting a rationalisation of the fuel schemes is being examined.