Vol. 547 No. 3
287 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the situation facing widows who have not reached 66 years of age in relation to accessing special allowances; and if he will redress the situation. [3151/02]
The free schemes, including the electricity or gas allowance, telephone 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. The free schemes share a common set of objectives in the area of social inclusion. These are defined as follows: to provide assistance to those living alone by targeting them with specific benefits providing both income and social inclusion gains; to support older people and people with disabilities in their 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 schemes as currently constituted provide a basic package that ensures a limited standard of comfort or well-being to a particular targeted group, that is based on age or receipt of a disability-related payment. Persons who are under the qualifying age or who are not in receipt of a disability-related payment may not qualify for the free schemes. Any changes in the schemes must be examined in a budgetary context.
However, I have recently improved other supports for widow/ers. The widowed parents' grant, which is payable to widows and widowers with dependent children who qualify for a widow/er's contributory pension, a one-parent family payment or a bereavement grant, payable on the death of their spouse, provides additional support to those with dependent children in the very difficult, stressful and costly period immediately after a bereavement.
When introduced the widowed parent's grant comprised a once-off payment of €1,270. I was pleased to be in a position almost double the grant to €2,500 from 5 December last year.
288 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his proposals to reduce the age for the awarding of a companion free travel pass from 75 years to 70 years where the applicant is medically unfit to travel alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3199/02]
299 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider issuing two vouchers per month to each old age pensioner eligible for free travel in areas where no public transport exists or where no private operator with Departmental consent operates, for use by legitimate and licenced taxis to their local town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3547/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 299 together.
The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by semi-State companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as services provided by some 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of these private contractors operate in rural areas. My Department is always willing to consider further applications from licensed private transport operators who may wish to participate in the free travel scheme.
Two main groups have difficulties in accessing public transport: those who have a disability which prevents them using the service and those for whom a service does not exist, which mainly affects those living in rural areas.
This problem, which is unrelated to the free travel scheme, is part of a wider social and infrastructure problem, affecting all those who are disadvantaged and who can neither afford their own transport or avail of access to public transport.
While my Department pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not in a position to provide services where none exist, nor is it in a position to provide vehicles accessible to people with disabilities. These are matters for the transport providers concerned and for my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise who has responsibility for public transport.
In this regard, an interdepartmental committee on rural transport, chaired by the Department of Public Enterprise, is at present considering issues relating to the availability of transport services in rural areas. I understand the committee will report during this year. In addition, my colleague the Minister for Public Enterprise recently announced that 19 community groups have been selected to receive funding under the rural transport initiative – RTI.
289 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a carer's allowance will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [3230/02]
The person concerned applied for carer's allowance on 24 October 2001. Carers of children under 16 years of age are eligible to apply for carer's allowance provided a domiciliary care allowance is also in payment.
In this particular case, domiciliary care allowance is not currently in payment and accordingly the person concerned does not qualify for carer's allowance. She was advised of this decision and the reasons for it. It is understood that she has applied to the relevant health board for a domiciliary care allowance but no decision has been made on her application. Her entitlement to carer's allowance will be further considered in light of the decision on her domiciliary care application.
Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officer. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
