asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of cases where the free electricity allowance was discontinued during 1986; and the changes which have been made in the operation of the scheme arising from the implementation of the Equality Directive.
Written Answers. - Free Electricity Allowance.
16.
Free electricity allowance has been terminated in some 21,800 cases in 1986. This covers the year to 11 December, which is the latest date for which figures are available.
The implementation of equal treatment does not affect the entitlement of persons whose applications for a free electricity allowance were received in my Department before 17 November 1986. Therefore, no free electricity allowance already in payment has been terminated as a result of the implementation of the directive on equal treatment.
However, the new arrangements affect new claims from 17 November 1986 when equal treatment was brought into effect. From that date, a spouse in order to be regarded as coming within the excepted categories of persons living with the claimant must be a dependant of the claimant or must be receiving a qualifying payment in his or her own right. This is the only change from the pre-equality position when all wives were accepted as coming within the excepted categories while only husbands who were invalids were so accepted.