Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:157 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if the free telephone allowance scheme will be extended to mobile phones. [28994/00]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The free telephone rental allowance scheme administered by my Department covers the line and instrument rental and the equivalent of 20 call units in each two monthly billing period. The scheme is expected to benefit some 195,000 people this year at an estimated cost of £33.2 million.
Under present arrangements appropriate credits are applied directly to the relevant customer accounts with Eircom, and in respect of land-lines only.
I have asked my Department to examine the extension of coverage under the free telephone rental allowance scheme to mobile phones and to telephone services from other providers under the new deregulated telecommunications market. There are very significant technical and business issues relating to this development of the scheme and these issues are undergoing detailed examination by my Department at present. I envisage that this extension will take place within the next year.