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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 1

Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

251 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the amount of money it would take to pay dependency allowances in respect of the contributory old age pension and other social welfare payments directly to spouses on their request; his views on whether his Department's policy not to pay the allowance directly to the spouse devalues the role of the spouse in the family home; the plans, if any, he has to amend this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3585/99]

A separate payment system is already available whereby special arrangements can be made to ensure that a spouse or partner receives a portion of the weekly social welfare payment paid directly in respect of him/herself and children. The system applies in a relatively small number of cases where there are domestic problems.

The manner in which different types of households are treated under the tax and social welfare systems is at present being considered by a working group chaired by my Department which is, among other things, charged with identifying and costing ways of ensuring consistent and equitable treatment of different types of household. The question of making separate social welfare payments directly to adult dependants, as envisaged in the Deputy's question, is being considered by this group. It is expected that it will report in the next few months. Making the separate payment facility available on a more general basis would have substantial administrative and cost implications. A considerable additional investment would be needed in the Department's computer systems and this would have implications for other projects. Depending on the number of applications received, it is estimated that this development could, under present arrangements, cost up to £6 million per annum in additional administration costs.

A number of measures have been taken to give recognition to the position of those who work in the home. Special arrangements for homemakers have been introduced whereby contribution years spent out of the workforce caring either for children up to the age of 12, or incapacitated people, may be disregarded when calculating the yearly average number of contributions for pension purposes. The Department will shortly be undertak ing a review of the provision to allow women who take time out for family reasons to continue contributions for pension purposes. This is in line with the Government's commitment in An Action Programme for the Millennium.
In relation to retirement and old age (contributory) pensions, each of a couple may qualify for payment in his/her own right, depending on their social insurance record. In this context, the number of women qualifying for these pensions in their own right is likely to increase, reflecting the increase in the number of women who are now entering/re-entering the workforce and paying social insurance as well as the operation of the homemaker's provisions.
In relation to the old age (non-contributory) pension, each of a couple is entitled to a separate pension where he/she is over 66 years of age and each will receive the same level of pension in his/her own right. I do not consider that the present arrangement for payment of arrears in respect of spouses devalues the role of the spouse in the home. However, I will take account of any views in this regard which are put forward in the report of the working group referred to above in deciding on future arrangements for payments to households.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

252 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the estimated cost of extending the free electricity, television licence and free fuel schemes to those living alone on a pre-retirement allowance. [3662/99]

The free schemes such as free electricity allowance and free television licences 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 this condition. In addition, widows-widowers between the ages of 60 and 65, whose late spouses had been in receipt of the free schemes, retain that entitlement. The free schemes were originally designed to benefit mainly older people in receipt of a social welfare type payment who were living alone and required additional assistance. However, over the years, additional categories of people have been included. It is proposed to undertake a fundamental review of the free schemes commencing in March 1999, to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being achieved in the most efficient and effective manner.

As this Department does not maintain statistics on the number of recipients of pre-retirement allowance who live alone, it is not possible to estimate the cost of extending the free television licence and free electricity allowance schemes to this group. However, if the schemes were extended to all PRETA recipients, the cost would be of the order of £3 million per year. The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. A payment of £5 per week – £8 per week in smokeless zones – is paid to eligible householders for 26 weeks from mid October to mid April.
A person may qualify for a fuel allowance if they are in receipt of a qualifying payment and fulfil the living alone conditions. Pre-retirement allowance is a qualifying payment for the national fuel scheme. Under the conditions of the fuel scheme the applicant must live alone or only with a dependent spouse-partner-child(ren) or other eligible recipients, or short-term unemployment assistance recipients, or a person who gives full-time care and attention if the applicant is an invalid or semi-invalid.
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