Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

245 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the current entitlements for recipients of widows pension; the plans, if any, he has to increase the benefits available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10088/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

As announced in the budget earlier this year, windows in receipt of pensions from my Department will receive an increase of £2 a week with effect from next month. This will bring the weekly personal rate to £68.10 for contributory pensioners under age 80 and to £64.50 for non-contributory pensioners under age 80.

In addition, widows, in common with all other people living in the State, automatically qualify for free travel on reaching 66 years of age.

The other free schemes administered by my Department, such as free electricity allowance and free telephone rental allowance, are available to widows aged 66 or over, who are in receipt of a pension from my Department and who are either living alone or who otherwise satisfy the living alone condition. In addition, widows between the age of 60 and 65 whose late husbands had entitlement to the free schemes, retain that entitlement notwithstanding their age.

Widows in receipt of a qualifying payment from my Department may also be eligible for rent and mortgage interest supplements under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. A fuel allowance, under the national fuel scheme, is available to widows who are dependent on a long-term payment from my Department and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Finally, widows in receipt of a non-contributory pension from my Department are also entitled to butter vouchers.

The question of further extending the range of benefits currently available to widows would have cost implications and would have to be examined in the light of available resources.