asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether there is a strong case for granting free public transport to unemployed people; and whether he has any proposals to implement this scheme.
Written Answers. - Free Public Transport.
40.
The free travel scheme operated by my Department assists the aged and certain categories of disabled persons to remain active within the community. It applies to all permanent residents of the State aged 66 years and over and to certain categories of disabled persons under 66 years of age. The scheme also applies to spouses under 66 years when they accompany the qualified person.
The extension of the free travel scheme to unemployed people would have major cost implications which could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of the available resources.
42.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will adjust upwards the income limit of £50 per week for qualification of working spouses who are dependants of social welfare recipients, having regard to the date on which this limit was first introduced.
An increase for an adult dependant is payable in respect of a spouse who is being wholly or mainly maintained by the claimant provided that the spouse is not in receipt of a social welfare payment in his or her own right and does not have income in excess of £50 per week from employment or self-employment.
The Government is committed to maintaining the overall value of social welfare payments and to providing special increases, as resources permit, for those on the lowest levels of payment, particularly the long-term unemployed. This policy of channelling resources towards increasing the basic rates of payment rather than increasing income limits is designed to ensure that the available resources are directed at those in greatest need. An increase in the £50 limit used to determine dependency would be in conflict with this approach as it would require that resources be directed towards households which include a spouse with income from employment.
The purpose of the limit is to ensure that a spouse engaged in a limited amount of part-time work is not precluded from qualifying as an adult dependant. The existing figure of £50 is reviewed on a regular basis in the light of increases in the general level of earnings and other relevant factors.
43.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to pay disability benefit at local centres throughout the country; the cost of such decentralisation; if money has been provided in the 1990 Estimates for this purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I have no immediate plans to pay disability benefit at local centres throughout the country.
However, I am extending a facility for recording medical certificates which has been installed at a number of local offices. This facility provides that intermediate and final medical certificates for disability benefit and occupational injury benefit claims can be entered on my Department's computer at local offices connected to the system and cheques issue to the client from Dublin on the same day.
This development was designed to reduce the interval between submission of certificates and the issue of payments.
Prior to the introduction of this facility all medical certificates had to be posted to Dublin before payment was issued and inevitably some delays arose.
By the end of this year it is hoped that the facility will be available in some 13 locations. Further locations will be added next year as computerisation of unemployment payments is extended to local offices.