Vol. 529 No. 4
192 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will arrange for a number of pensioners in County Armagh whose nearest town is Dundalk to qualify for free travel facilities for journeys originating in Dundalk if they wish to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1975/01]
The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged over 66 years. It is also available to carers and people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain welfare-type payments. It provides free travel on all public transport services with certain restrictions on travel at peak hours in main cities. In contrast, the Northern Ireland concessionary travel scheme provides only half-rate fares for its senior citizens using a limited number of transport companies.
The cross-Border free travel scheme was introduced between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in 1995. It provides free travel on cross-Border routes for pass holders of both jurisdictions. This scheme applies only to cross-Border journeys and not travel exclusively within each jurisdiction. Since the scheme's inception, approximately 1.5 million cross-Border trips have been undertaken at a cost of over £11 million. In 2000 the cost of the scheme is estimated to be £2.3 million.
The Deputy proposes that pensioners living in Armagh should be allowed to commence their journeys in Dundalk instead of in Northern Ireland. It would not be feasible to define specific towns for this purpose nor would it be possible to confine such an extension only to pensioners resident in Armagh. Therefore, any expansion of this nature would, in effect, involve the extension of the free travel scheme to all Northern Ireland pensioners on a unilateral basis. This would have significant cost and administrative implications.
In this regard, it should be noted that my Department is responsible for 100% of the cost of the journey in the Republic for both free travel pass holders and Northern Ireland concession card holders, the balance, that is 50%, of the cost of cross-Border journeys in Northern Ireland for Northern Ireland concession card holders and 100% of the cost of cross-Border journeys on trains for both northern and southern pass holders.
The free travel scheme is a residence-based scheme, similar to all social welfare services. The cross-Border free travel scheme was introduced as there are common road and rail networks, and a much smaller population than our own. Any extension of the scheme would have significant administrative and cost implications that could only be examined on a joint basis between the two jurisdictions and in the context of budgetary priorities.
193 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the situation regarding an application by a person (details supplied) in County Dublin for a fuel allowance. [2896/01]
The fuel allowance is to assist householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. A payment of £5 a week, £8 in smokeless zones, is made to eligible households during the period from mid-October to late-April.
The person concerned is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension at the reduced weekly rate of £85.20. One of the conditions for receipt of a fuel allowance is that the household must not have a combined income of more than £30 per week above the appropriate maximum weekly rate of contributory pension, in this case £89.10. The person concerned is also in receipt of a British widow's pension which, when combined with her widow's contributory pension, brings her above the income limit to qualify for the fuel allowance. She does not qualify for the allowance and has been notified accordingly.
If the person concerned has special heating needs and is unable to provide for those needs, she may qualify for a heating payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. A heating supplement is available under that scheme for people who require extra heating in their homes because of ill health or infirmity. An application for this supplement may be made through her local community welfare officer.
194 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans he has to extend the eligibility for companion passes for persons in receipt of the free travel scheme, especially where the travel pass holder has an illness and where it is not practical for the person's spouse to accompany him or her on journeys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2919/01]
195 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the free travel scheme to all hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2969/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together.
The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. It is also available to carers and people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain welfare-type payments.
196 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will allow recipients of maternity benefit who are on leave when the new budget changes come into operation in April 2001 to benefit from these changes. [2974/01]
197 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will clarify the criteria being used by his Department to assess applications for four weeks' extra maternity and adoptive benefit announced in the budget for 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3046/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together.
The recent budget provided for the extension of maternity and adoptive leave by four weeks to 18 weeks from early April. The Government subsequently decided to bring forward this measure. Entitlement to maternity benefit is linked to entitlement to maternity leave. To qualify for maternity benefit an employed woman must be entitled to maternity leave under the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, must have her expected date of confinement certified by her doctor and must satisfy certain PRSI conditions. A self-employed woman must satisfy certain PRSI conditions and provide certification from her doctor.
Extending the duration of maternity and adoptive leave requires amendment of both the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, and the Adoptive Leave Act, 1995, by way of regulations. However these regulations, which are to be introduced by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, require a positive motion of approval to be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas before the amendments can take effect. I understand it is hoped that a resolution approving the draft will be passed by Dáil Éireann later today and in the Seanad on Thursday next.
Under the provisions of both the Maternity Protection Act and the Adoptive Leave Act the extended duration of maternity and adoptive leave will only apply to people who give their employers the required four weeks' notice of their intention to take the extended leave following the approval of the regulations.
Provision for the extension of maternity benefit to 18 weeks is included in the Social Welfare Bill which will be before the House shortly. These provisions will become effective from the date on which the extended leave becomes effective. In addition to the extension of paid maternity leave, the budget also provides for an increase of four weeks' additional unpaid maternity leave and an extension of all employment rights, including the award of credited contributions for any additional maternity leave taken. Regulations governing the award of these credited contributions will be made shortly.
Further improvements announced in the budget include an increase of £8 in the minimum rates of payment for maternity and adoptive benefit from £90.70 to £98.70 a week and a £10.20 increase in the maximum rates from £172.80 to £183. These increases will come into effect from 2 April 2001.
198 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will re-examine the circumstances of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny to determine the assistance which can be given to him regarding the completion of a course he is undertaking at Cork Institute of Technology; and if he will expedite the application. [3163/01]
The back to education allowance is a second chance educational opportunities programme designed to encourage and facilitate certain groups, including people who have been unemployed for a certain minimum period, to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active workforce.
To qualify for participation an applicant must, inter alia, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for at least six months – 156 days – immediately prior to commencing an approved course of study. The person concerned was not in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment prior to participation in a third level course of study and is not, therefore, eligible for the allowance.
