Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 October 2004
193 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will extend entitlement to the free schemes to all widows and widowers aged 60 to 65, rather than only to those whose late spouse was receiving any of the allowances in the household benefits package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23371/04]
Amharc ar fhreagra194 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will increase the free gas, electricity and telephone allowances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23374/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.
The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity-gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently 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 aged over 70 years of age can qualify regardless of their income or household composition.
Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefit package retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse.
A range of proposals has been made to extend the free schemes to other groups and to increase their value. These are kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme and budgetary resources.
