Vol. 574 No. 1
520 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which it is pro posed to extend free travel to those in areas in County Kildare and throughout the country, which do not have public transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26233/03]
The free travel scheme operated by my Department provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. 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 more than 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of private contractors providing services under the scheme operate in rural areas. I am always willing to consider applications from licensed private transport operators who may wish to participate in the free travel scheme. However, while my Department pays transport providers to operate the free travel scheme, it is not in a position to provide transport services where none exists.
The issue of access to public transport is being addressed at present through the rural transport initiative, which is being managed by Area Development Management, ADM, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport.
I secured €500,000 in the last budget towards the cost of the initiative to ensure that free travel pass holders have access to these community based transport services. Significant improvements have been made to the free schemes, including the free travel scheme, in recent budgets both in terms of the qualifying conditions and the coverage of the schemes. I will continue to review the operation of these schemes with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements as resources permit.
521 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there are facilities in place specifically to train unemployment assistance and benefit recipients on the way in which to genuinely seek employment; if so, the persons who delivers these training courses; and if their existence is brought to the attention of social welfare recipients. [26256/03]
It is my Department's responsibility to ensure people are aware of the conditions for entitlement to social welfare payments and to make available relevant information in relation to the procedures for establishing entitlement. It is also my Department's responsibility to ensure the conditions for entitlement to payments are met in individual cases. The guidelines underlying the various schemes are available generally and my Department has an extensive network of information provision for people in relation to its schemes and services. I believe the range of information and assistance provided in this regard is adequate and that the provision of further spec ific training in relation to claiming benefits is neither necessary nor appropriate.
522 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare is not receiving the carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26552/03]
One of the principal conditions for receipt of carer's allowance is that full-time care and attention is required and being provided to the care recipient. The carer's allowance is not payable in this case as the care recipient is resident at a care-rehabilitative centre. However, the person concerned receives a carer's allowance for the periods when her daughter is residing at home with her. In this regard, she was awarded carer's allowance in respect of the period 3 July 2003 to 3 September 2003.
During the same period, her husband was claiming for her as a qualified adult dependent. Arrears of carer's allowance less the payment of qualified adult allowance were issued to her by payable order on 10 November 2003.
523 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has introduced an annual respite care grant to people who take care of their elderly relatives while maintaining their employment and who turn down the opportunity to have that relative placed in hospital care for two weeks during the year which has much greater cost implications; if she will discuss the matter with the Minister for Health and Children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26600/03]
The respite care grant is paid to recipients of carer's allowance and carer's benefit. It is also payable to carers who are caring for recipients of a constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance. The grant is a contribution towards respite care to be used as the recipients wish. The expansion of the respite grant outside of the present scheme is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context.
