Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 14 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 4

Written Answers. - Free Schemes.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

197 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider introducing a concession scheme which would allow access to public services at a discount rate for spouses who stay at home to care for children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16207/97]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

I understand that the Deputy is referring to access to the free schemes administered by the Department. Free travel is available to all persons in the State aged 66 years, or over, and also to certain people with disabilities under the age of 66. The other free schemes are available to people, usually aged 66 or over, who are in receipt of a welfare type payment 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 scheme, retain that entitlement notwithstanding their age.

Extending the free schemes to categories who do not qualify under the current conditions would have financial implications and could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources.

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

198 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the entitlements of persons over 75 years to the various free schemes; the reason the free fuel scheme is accessed differently to other free schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16363/97]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Free travel is available to all persons in the State aged 66 years or over, and also to certain people with disabilities under that age. Entitlement is not contingent on the person's means.

The other free schemes are available to people, usually aged 66 or over, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are either living alone, or who otherwise satisfy the living alone condition. In addition, widows and widowers between the age of 60 and 65 whose late spouses had entitlement to the free schemes retain that entitlement notwithstanding their age.

A change in the qualifying conditions for the free schemes was introduced in the 1996 budget. This allows new applicants over age 75, who were previously required to satisfy more rigorous household composition rules, to be assessed in the same way as all other persons in that age category. This means that their household composition will not affect their eligibility for the free schemes. Effectively now all persons over age 75 who are in receipt of a qualifying payment may qualify for the free schemes.

In addition, the free schemes were extended in July 1996 to include low-income pensioners who were not in receipt of a social welfare type payment. The weekly income limit fixed for this purpose is the maximum personal rate of old age contributory pension currently £78 per week, plus any increases for dependants, plus £30.

The fuel schemes are historically different in nature to the free schemes and, therefore, qualification conditions differ significantly. The fuel scheme is a means-tested payment which is not age-related. The free schemes, on the other hand, are mainly payable to pensioners.

The national fuel scheme and the smokeless fuel scheme are tailored to provide assistance to qualified householders who are unable to provide for their own solid fuel heating needs. Persons who are in receipt of a means-tested payment automatically satisfy the means-test for these payments. However, in the case of contributory pensioners, if they, and members of their household have a combined income of more than £15 per week or savings-investments of £8,000 or more above the appropriate maximum Irish contributory pension rate, they do not qualify for either of the fuel schemes.