Michael Finucane
Ceist:808 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if an application for carer's benefit for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick will be considered. [1005/02]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Michael Noonan
Ceist:810 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a possible anomaly in the administration of the carer's benefit entitlement by his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1010/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 808 and 810 together.
The carer's benefit scheme is intended to support people who must leave the workforce temporarily to care for someone who is in need of full-time care and attention. The arrangements involve two separate elements. The first is a weekly income support payment, which is operated and paid by my Department. This is based on PRSI contributions paid by the carer. The second is the protection of the carer's employment rights for the duration of the caring period, which is a key feature of the scheme. In order to qualify for carer's benefit, a person must be in full-time employment. This condition is satisfied if the person worked at least 19 hours per week or 38 hours per fortnight in the three months prior to applying for carer's benefit. The person concerned is not entitled to carer's benefit, as they do not satisfy this condition.
Michael Ring
Ceist:809 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive an appeal date for unemployment assistance. [1006/02]
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance in October 2001 and was awarded payment at a reduced rate based on weekly mean of 48, £37.50, derived from income from self-employment. He appealed against this decision to the social welfare appeals office, and an appeals officer is of the opinion that an oral hearing is required. The person concerned will be advised of the date and venue for the hearing when the necessary arrangements have been made. Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
Question No. 810 answered with Question No. 808
Ceist:
811 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider linking the payment of child benefit payments to school attendance to reward high levels of school attendance by school pupils. [1024/02]
Child benefit is a universal payment which is payable in respect of all children up to the age of 16 years and continues to be paid in respect of children up to age 19 years who are in full-time education or who have a physical or mental disability. Policy in relation to the issue of school attendance is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science. In this regard, the Deputy may be aware that the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 provides for a new system to support students to attend school regularly. This Act puts the focus on a welfare approach to encourage regular attendance at school, rather than enforcement. In the circumstances, making the payment of child benefit contingent on regular attendance at school would not be consistent with the policy direction of the Education (Welfare) Act. Moreover, the proposal to link payment of child benefit to regular attendance at school would have extensive administrat ive implications, both in relation to the operation of the child benefit scheme and for the schools involved in certifying such attendance.
Ceist:
812 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if some asylum seekers in Dublin are receiving cheques for £2,000 in order to purchase a car; the reason for this finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1025/02]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the various health boards and neither I nor my Department has any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for the payment by a health board of exceptional needs payments in order to assist people with once off exceptional expenditure which, given the circumstances of the case, the person could not be reasonably be expected to meet out of their normal weekly income. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health board payment. Payments are "once-off" and made at the discretion of the health board. Every decision in these cases is based on careful consideration of all the circumstances of the individual case taking account of the nature and extent of the need.
There is no facility under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to make payments in respect of the type of expense referred to by the Deputy. The expenses incurred in purchasing a car are not appropriate to the supplementary welfare allowance scheme and no such payments have been made under the scheme. However, if the Deputy has a particular case or cases in mind and can supply relevant details, I will arrange to have further inquiries made with the health board concerned to clarify the nature of any assistance being provided and the individual circumstances of the particular case.
Ceist:
813 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 619 of 6 November 2001, he will outline his views on the contents of correspondence from a company (details supplied). [1027/02]
Ceist:
818 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider widening the time periods during which pensioners can avail of their free travel pass. [1263/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 813 and 818 together.
The free schemes, which include the electricity-gas allowance, telephone allowance and free TV licence scheme, provide a basic package of neces sary benefits which ensure a limited standard of comfort or well-being to a particular targeted group. It is not within the scope of my Department to provide for all socially desirable items of expenditure. As indicated in response to the Deputy's previous question on this subject a review of the free schemes, published in 2000, recommended that no further goods and services be covered by the schemes, unless their social benefit is clearly over and above that which can be purchased by increased income. Accordingly, there are no plans at present to expand the range of services covered by the schemes. Some companies, not just those in the semi-State sector, do offer concessions to older people. I encourage companies to offer concessions where possible but, at the end of the day, this is a matter for the individual enterprises.
With regard to the time restrictions on the free travel scheme, these have been a feature of the free travel scheme since its inception. They apply at peak times on city bus services in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. They do not, however, apply in the case of mentally handicapped people, people attending long-term rehabilitation courses or certain work experience programmes and certain other disabled or blind people. These people are issued with an unrestricted free travel pass which enables them to travel during the normally restricted travel times. The central issue in regard to time restrictions relates to capacity constraints. Where restrictions apply it is at the request of the transport companies because the transport system is under severe pressure from commuters travelling to and from work and school in the morning and evening. There are no peak time travel restrictions on DART, suburban rail services, and on services provided by private transport operators in other parts of the country.