Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Feb 1999

Vol. 501 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

302 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the free travel entitlement to British pensioners who are Irish citizens living in Britain when they visit Ireland (details supplied). [5706/99]

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

The free travel scheme is available to all people living in Ireland aged 66 years or over and to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance. It is also available to certain people with disabilities under that age who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. From April 1999, the scheme will be available to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance allowance or prescribed relatives allowance.

The scheme provides free travel, primarily at off-peak periods, on the main public and private transport services to those who are qualified and who are living permanently in Ireland. At the end of December 1998, over 530,000 free travel passes had been issued at an annual cost of £32.6 million.

The scheme was extended in 1995 to cover cross-Border travel only, between Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is available to passholders in Ireland, their spouses or companions in the case of people holding companion passes, and to Northern Ireland concession travel passholders.

The free travel scheme, as in the case of other social welfare schemes in Ireland, is available to all eligible persons irrespective of nationality. It would not be possible to extend the scheme to Irish nationals resident in Britain as this would be contrary to EU law, which in many instances prohibits discrimination on grounds of nationality. This would mean, therefore, that if the scheme were to be extended on the lines suggested, it would have to be extended to all pensioners who are EU nationals coming to Ireland for temporary stays.

Extending the free travel scheme to all retired citizens of the European Union visiting Ireland would have policy, cost and administrative implications bearing in mind that the scheme is based on spare seating capacity being available on public transport during off-peak hours only.

Bord Fáilte estimates that approximately 230,000 EU citizens over the age of 65 visited Ireland in 1997. Of this number, approximately 120,000 did not use a car or private coach during their stay. It is not possible to estimate the take-up of the travel facility by this group and hence the cost but it is clear that it could be significant.

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, including the free travel scheme, commencing in March 1999, to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being achieved in the most efficient and effective manner and the Deputy's proposal will be examined as part of this review process.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

303 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the amount of financial help paid to asylum seekers by community welfare officers in any recent period for which figures are available; and his views on the generally held perception that they get a weekly socialising payment. [5709/99]

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

Any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs is entitled to supplementary welfare allowance (SWA). The SWA scheme provides basic weekly payments, rent supplements, deposits to secure private rented accommodation and once off exceptional need payments, for example, for clothing and footwear.

The scheme is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department. Payment may continue in accordance with the relevant legislation as long as the person is resident in the State. Payments to asylum seekers are made on the same basis as payments to other recipients and weekly socialising payments are not made.

Total expenditure on SWA payments to asylum seekers was approximately £22 million in 1998 and £12 million in 1997.