Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

345 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will increase the fuel allowance being paid to islanders in view of the fact that the price of fuel is higher for island inhabitants. [22721/99]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 345 together.

The aim of the national fuel scheme – NFS – 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 households for 26 weeks from mid-October to mid April.

It is estimated that in 1999 approximately 288,400 people will receive a fuel allowance of £5 per week for the 26 weeks of the fuel season. In addition, approximately 114,100 people will also qualify for the smokeless fuel allowance of £3 per week.

Expenditure on the national fuel scheme has increased by approximately 20 per cent in the last six years from £37.5 million in 1993 to £44.9 million in 1998. This year a sum of £46.4 million has been provided in the estimates for the scheme.

While the last increase in the fuel allowance was in October 1985, fuel price inflation has been much lower than general price inflation. The rate payable cannot be viewed in isolation from the improvements in the primary weekly payment rates. In that regard, substantial increases in all the social welfare primary payments of either £3 or £6 per week were paid from the beginning of June 1999.

It would not be appropriate to provide a fuel allowance at a different rate to specific group, and treat them in a different manner to other fuel allowance recipients.

In any event, any changes in the rate or duration of payment would have cost implications and could only be considered in a budgetary context.

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

341 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to change the situation whereby a widow, who is employed and receiving a contributory widow's pension on the basis of her late husband's contributions, only receives half of the unemployment benefit rate if she becomes unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22654/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern): The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one social welfare payment is payable to an individual.

However, an exception to this rule is made in the case of widows, widowers and other lone parents who are sick or unemployed. Where a person who is in receipt of a widow(er)'s pension or one-parent family payment satisfies the relevant contribution conditions, they may be entitled to receive disability benefit or unemployment benefit at half-rate for a period of up to 15 months, in addition to their pension. Furthermore, if they are entitled to a widow(er)'s pension or one-parent family payment at a reduced rate, for example, on the basis of insufficient PRSI contributions or on account of means, the rate of that payment is also increased up the maximum level for the duration of their claim for disability benefit or unemployment benefit.

These provisions discriminate positively in favour of widowed people and lone parents. In the circumstances, I am satisfied that the current arrangements for payment of disability or unemployment benefit in addition to widow(er)'s pension and one-parent family payment are reasonable.

Dick Roche

Ceist:

343 Mr. Roche asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will introduce a scheme whereby benefits in kind, for example, telephone and television licence allowances, will be made available to widows and pensioners currently ineligible for these benefits either due to the fact that they marginally exceed the means test limits or are regarded on some other basis as ineligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22668/99]

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

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

The other free schemes such as free electricity allowance, free TV licence and free telephone rental allowance are available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment and to certain people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.

In addition, widows-widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the free schemes retain that entitlement. This is to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse.

The free schemes are also available to low-income pensioners who are not in receipt of a social welfare type pension and who satisfy a means-test. The weekly means income limit fixed for this purpose is the maximum personal rate of old age contributory pension, which is currently £89 for a recipient aged 66 to 79 years, and £94.00 for a recipient aged 80 years or over; plus £30; plus any increases for dependants or for living alone.

The extension of the free schemes to all widow/ers and pensioners could only be considered in a budgetary context with due regard being paid to the availability of resources and the need to set priorities among the various other competing demands being made on all areas of the social welfare system.

A fundamental review of the free schemes is being carried out to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being achieved in the most efficient and effective manner. This includes an examination of the qualifying conditions for the schemes, the target group and the scope for alternative policy arrangements.

The review of the free schemes, which is already at an advanced stage, is being carried out by an official of my Department on secondment, as a visiting research fellow at the policy institute, Trinity College, Dublin. The conclusions of the review will be considered in the context of budget 2000.

It is expected that the research conducted will be formally published by the policy institute in the Trinity Studies in Public Policy series in January 2000.