Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 1

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

102 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the serious concern expressed by a number of organisations dealing with lone parents regarding the implications of the decision to impose serious restrictions on the payment of rent supplements and the decision to terminate the transitional half rate payment for lone parents; if, in view of the clear difficulties that will be caused to lone parents, she will reconsider these changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28934/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

The purpose of the supplementary welfare scheme is to deal with emergencies and short-term needs that arise when a person has a change in circumstances, including when a tenant becomes unemployed and can no longer afford their rent. Rent supplements were never intended to meet a person's long-term housing needs. The scheme is not a housing programme but over the years the scheme has, in effect, become a major housing support system. It does not make sense to have two parallel but entirely separate programmes in this area, one operated by the housing authorities and the other by the health boards.

The rent supplement scheme does not give a good long-term outcome to the individual. They have limited security of tenure, accommodation standards can sometimes be poor and they must remain on social welfare in order to retain their accommodation. The scheme does not give a good outcome to the State either as it provides poor long-term value for money and in effect, it bypasses the priorities set by the local authorities in their housing programmes. This is why I have taken a number of initiatives in this area.

I am aware that a number of organisation have expressed concerns about these measures. I wish to assure the Deputy that careful consideration went into the formulation of these measures. The measures are designed to ensure that rent supplement is paid in appropriate circumstances, in accordance with established policy and taking into account the objectives of the scheme, which is to focus on meeting immediate, short-term income maintenance needs. A rent supplement payment will continue to be available to people with housing needs who are at risk, such as people with disabilities or those experiencing severe social problems and due regard will be paid to the needs of these people in implementing the new rent arrangements. However, the important difference will be the involvement of the housing authorities in addressing their long-term housing needs.

I have also announced the ending of the transitional payment that applies under the one-parent family payment scheme. This will have the effect of shifting the policy emphasis for lone parents from earnings disregards in the one-parent family payment scheme to the in-work family income supplement scheme. The present earnings disregard enables lone parents to retain a significant level of income support in the transition to full-time employment. I believe that when that stage is reached they should then avail of family income supplement rather than continuing on a further transitional payment. Family income supplement is a mainstream benefit payable to all low income workers with children and is specifically designed to provide cash support for employees with families on low earnings and thereby preserve the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if she or he were claiming other social welfare payments.

Question No. 103 answered with Question No. 67.

Damien English

Ceist:

104 Mr. English asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will extend the entitlement to the free schemes to all widows and widowers. [29062/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity and gas allowance, telephone allowance and free television licence schemes, is 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. The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. People over 70 years of age can qualify regardless of their income or household composition. The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over, to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance. It is also available to certain people with disabilities. Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefit package or free travel retain that entitlement to ensure that those households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of the spouse.

The free schemes share a common set of objectives in the area of social inclusion 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. A range of proposals has been made to extend the free schemes to other groups, including all widows and widowers and these are kept under review in the context of the above criteria and budgetary resources.

Question No. 105 answered with Question No. 69.