Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Brian Hayes
Ceist:
762
Mr. B. Hayes
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will extend the free travel scheme to spouses of persons who are in receipt of invalidity pension, or at least extend this scheme to such a category where the person on invalidity pension must attend hospital for considerable periods of time over the course of a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21002/01]
Noel Ahern
Ceist:
764
Mr. N. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if, regarding the regulations on free schemes for persons aged between 66 and 70 years of age, not on social welfare pensions, who are usually ex-Government or semi-State employees, he will say when the rule allowing free schemes for those within £30 of social welfare pension was introduced; the amount, in percentage terms, by which the old age contributory pension has been increased since; and if he will considerably increase the £30 figure in the next budget in order to assist these ex-State employees.
[21026/01]
Gay Mitchell
Ceist:
774
Mr. G. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will ensure that senior citizens such as a person (details supplied) in Dublin 20 who reside in private rooms in nursing homes and who wish to have a private phone line to keep in touch with relatives do not lose the free phone allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21216/01]
Brendan Howlin
Ceist:
807
Mr. Howlin
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will devise a mechanism whereby persons aged 70 years and upwards who reside in nursing homes may avail of the benefit or cash value of free schemes which, according to his Department, are available to all persons aged 70 years irrespective of who lives with them; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21713/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 762, 764, 774 and 807 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. The main objective of the free travel scheme is to encourage older people and people with disabilities to remain independent and active in the community, thereby reducing the need for institutional care. The free travel pass is granted to the qualifying person and not to his or her children or spouse. While a spouse, regardless of age, does benefit from being able to accompany the passholder, he or she is not a qualified person and has no underlying claim until he or she reaches the qualifying age. The fact that a spouse can accompany the pass holder is a positive aspect of the scheme, which should encourage greater mobility. Extending the free travel scheme to such a group of people in their own right would be completely outside the objectives of the scheme and would discriminate against other groups such as single people, who cannot avail of the pass until reaching the qualifying age.
The other free schemes, including the free electricity and gas allowances, free telephone rental allowance and free television licence schemes, are generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who fulfil a means test. They are also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the free schemes retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse.
Since July 1996 the free schemes have been available to all lower income pensioners, including retired civil servants, 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 plus £30, plus any increases for a qualified adult, dependent children or living alone, as appropriate. In July 1996, when this measure was introduced, the maximum rate of old age contributory pension was £75 per week for a recipient aged 66 to 79 years and £80 for a recipient aged 80 years and over. These rates have increased by 41% and 39% respectively to £106 for a recipient aged 66 to 79 years and £111 for a recipient aged 80 years or over. The income limit increases automatically each year on foot of the budget increases in pension rates.
With regard to paying a telephone allowance to nursing home residents, the free schemes share a common set of objectives in the area of social inclusion: to provide assistance for those living alone by targeting them with benefits which provide income and social inclusion gains, to support older people and people with disabilities who wish to remain in the community as opposed to institutional care and to support Government policy which seeks to acknowledge the value of older people in society. The original objective of the telephone allowance was to provide protection and security at home for older people and people with disabilities who either live alone or with people unable to summon help in an emergency. A secondary objective of the scheme was to encourage social contact and to assist in the prevention of social isolation for those living alone.
The free schemes act as an important support to encouraging care in the community. The proposal to extend telephone allowance to pensioners resident in nursing homes does not fit easily within the community care objectives of these schemes. Persons resident in nursing homes may already be in receipt of State support, either through the public health system or through a nursing home subvention. In addition, those living in nursing homes and other residential institutions have daily support and contact with other residents and nursing staff. The current arrangements for the free schemes are kept under review in a budgetary context.
