Vol. 505 No. 6
215 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will rectify the anomaly whereby a person in receipt of unemployment assistance and whose spouse has a pension of more than £60 and less than £90 per week is financially worse off than a person on unemployment assistance whose spouse does not have a pension. [14399/99]
The Deputy will be aware that regulations were introduced in November 1997 to provide for the tapered withdrawal of the qualified adult allowance for people claiming unemployment benefit, unemployment assistance, disability benefit, disability allowance, pre-retirement allowance, injury benefit and unemployability supplement. Prior to the introduction of those regulations, the qualified adult allowance was withdrawn completely once the income of the spouse or partner of the social welfare claimant exceeded £60 per week. This measure represented the first step towards alleviating the poverty trap associated with the previous arrangements.
Under the revised arrangements, where the spouse or partner is earning between £60 and £90, a reduced rate qualified adult allowance continues to be payable. In the 1999 budget, provision has been made to extend the upper limit of the income range from £90 to £105, in order to further enhance the incentive for people to avail of employment opportunities. Notwithstanding these improvements, I am aware that in some very unusual cases, such as that described by the Deputy, the poverty trap still exists. I will be considering the scope for introducing further improvements to the tapering arrangements in the context of the next budget, having regard to the resources available and in the light of other priorities.
217 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason his Department has not acknowledged or processed a claim for a non-contributory old age pension in November 1998 by a person (details supplied) in County Meath; if he will ensure that this person's entitlements are granted without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14516/99]
When a claim for pension is received by the Department it is standard practice to acknowledge the claim in all cases, immediately following claim registration on the Department's computer system. In the case of old age non-contributory pensions, the standard acknowledgement informs applicants that their claims have been received and registered and forwarded to the relevant local officer who will be in contact in due course.
The person concerned applied for a pension in November 1998 and was visited in her home by a social welfare inspector in February 1999. During the course of the interview the inspector was informed that the applicant owned land but that she was uncertain of the extent of her ownership or involvement in the farm business. It appears that other family members are also involved in this business.
219 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason mobile phones are not covered under the free telephone rental allowance scheme. [14608/99]
The free telephone rental allowance is aimed mainly at people over 66 years age and at those under that age who suffer from disabilities. In order to qualify for the allowance an applicant must be in receipt of a particular social welfare payment and be living alone or with someone who would not be able to summon help in the event of an emergency. The purpose of the allowance is to provide an element of protection and security for older and disabled people in their homes by ensuring that they are in a position to summon help in the event of an accident or an emergency in the home.
A fundamental review of the free schemes, including the free telephone rental allowance scheme, has commenced to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being achieved in the most effective and efficient manner. The review, will examine, inter alia, the question of extending the allowance to cover mobile phones. Any extension of the current arrangements could only be considered in a budgetary context.
