Vol. 560 No. 1
966 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will remove the restrictions on holders of concession travel passes in the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, whereby they cannot use public transport with their pass at certain times of the day, in view of the fact that this discriminates against people in these cities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1688/03]
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. Time restrictions on the free travel scheme have been a feature of the scheme since its inception. They do not, however, apply in the case of people with learning disabilities, 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 is that of capacity constraints and in recognition of the pressure of the transport system 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. Any general lifting of the time restrictions could cause capacity problems for transport operators. In exceptional or extenuating circumstances, however, where hospital appointments cannot be arranged out of peak travel time, my Department can issue a temporary unrestricted free travel pass. Requests for such passes can only be considered on a case by case basis and passes are only granted in very exceptional circumstances. The operation of the free travel scheme is kept under review with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements where circumstances allow.
967 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the weekly increase for single parents allowance is ?6; if the minimum weekly rent supplement has been increased by ?4.38, resulting in an overall social welfare increase of just ?1.62 per week for such persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2029/03]
People who receive a rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme have always been required to make a minimum contribution towards the cost of their rent. When last set in 1994 the contribution represented approximately 10% of the minimum social welfare weekly payment rate.
In November, I announced my intention to restore the minimum contribution to an equivalent level. In this regard I introduced regulations which provided for an increase in the minimum contribution from €7.62 to €12.00 per week which represents 9.6% of the current minimum social welfare weekly payment rate.
Any increase in the level of the minimum rent contribution has an impact on the net income of people affected. The recent increase, however, restores the relationship which existed previously and I am satisfied that relationship is reasonable and should be maintained.
968 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the savings to date to the social insurance fund of the ongoing dispute regarding the dental benefit service; the initiatives which she plans to take to resolve this dispute; and if she will arrange as an interim measure that insured workers who receive treatment privately will receive a refund on the basis of the existing fee payments pending a resolution of the dispute as is the norm in insurance schemes. [27025/02]
971 Mr. Ardagh asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the resolution of the dispute between her Department and the dentists regarding dental benefit entitlements will be expedited, particularly taking into account the way in which it affects senior citizens. [1014/03]
987 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress which has been made to settle the dispute with the Irish Dental Association; the meetings which have taken place between her officials and the IDA in this regard; her proposals to compensate people who had to pay twice for dental treatment, by paying PRSI contributions and the dental costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1345/03]
988 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress she has made in reaching a resolution of the dispute with the Irish Dental Association; and if a meeting has been set up to negotiate a resolution. [1346/03]
998 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding the dispute between her Department and the Irish Dental Association over charges for PRSI workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1611/03]
1003 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the moneys remaining unspent from the 2002 allocation in respect of optical or dental benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1937/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 968, 971, 987, 988, 998 and 1003 together.
I have had discussions with representatives of the Irish Dental Association yesterday with a view to resolving the current dispute affecting the dental benefit scheme. A further meeting at official level is due to be held within the next ten days. I am confident it will be possible to achieve a resolution of the dispute in the near future. The impact of the dispute cannot be fully assessed until a resolution is achieved and treatments which may have been deferred pending a settlement are carried out. Expenditure on dental benefit in 2002 amounted to €35.1 million compared to €35 million in 2001.
