Vol. 531 No. 3
53 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will provide the same rates of payment and benefits for persons on blind pension as for those on old age pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5206/01]
Blind pensioners receive the same rates of payment as other pensioners in similar circumstances. For instance, the blind person's pension for those aged under 66 years is paid at the same rate as the widow or widower's non-contributory pension and other long-term social assistance payments such as disability allowance. This also means that people with disabilities receive the same level of payment, regardless of the nature of their disability.
The blind person's pension for those aged 66 and over is paid at the same rate as the old age non-contributory pension and other social assistance pensions for those aged 66 and over. Regardless of their age, blind pensioners are entitled to the same range of additional benefits as old age pensioners. These benefits include the free travel pass, free electricity allowance, free telephone rental allowance and fuel allowance. In addition, with effect from April blind pensioners aged under 66 who are living alone will be entitled to the living alone allowance on the same basis as pensioners aged 66 and over.
Last December's record social welfare budget allocation of £850 million provided for a £10 a week increase for pensioners aged over 66; an £8 a week general increase; weekly increases ranging between £7 and £15 for qualified adults; and the increased weekly rates to be paid four weeks earlier, from the beginning of April 2001. The Government's action programme provides that the old age pension will be increased to a target rate of £100 by 2002. This target has already been achieved in the case of the old age contributory pension, which will be increased to £106 a week from next April. The old age non-contributory pension and the blind person's pension, in the case of pensioners aged 66 and over, will increase to £95.50 a week from April. In addition, the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness contains a commitment that substantial progress will be made in the period up to 2003 towards a target of £100 per week for the lowest rates of social welfare. The improvements provided in the recent budget fully comply with these commitments.
As provided for in the PPF, a working group, which includes representatives of the various social partners, has been established to examine the range of complex issues associated with the benchmarking and indexation of adult and child social welfare payments. As part of its deliberations, the working group will examine the implications of adopting a specific approach to the ongoing up-rating or indexation of payments, including their long-term economic, budgetary, PRSI contribution, distributive and incentive implications, in light of trends in economic, demographic and labour market patterns. It is envisaged that the working group will complete its deliberations later this year and I look forward to receiving the results in due course.
