Ms Máiread Hayes:

We are finding that many older people agonise over continuing with their landline but when they come to cancel it, some providers give them better deals with reductions from €90 for two months to €58.

That is what we are getting.

I shall address the question of our list of priorities. It is a bit like the points made by the Deputies because if I identify a priority then some of our constituent members will say it is not the biggest one. Our priority is the people who we have identified as being worse off - the older old and so on. As my colleague mentioned, the Christmas bonus might be a way of helping everybody because everybody would know they are getting it. I am reluctant to say it will arrive before the water bills in January but at least people would know it was coming and could do something.

Let me return to Deputy O'Dea's questions. There are a lot of questions about medical cards but we keep being told there is no such thing as a discretionary medical card. I would very much like it if one of the members would sort the matter out for us. We keep being told that there is no such thing as a discretionary medical card and there are two types, means tested or an over-70s card. I have read all about the matter. All of the members have referred to medical cards and I have outlined what we have been told.

Mr. Timmins has answered the question on mobile telephones. Let me answer the question on household benefits and who can be deemed to be in a household. The issue has come to our attention and did so again yesterday.

In terms of the bereavement grant, we understand people are going to the community welfare officer but, unfortunately, we have not been able to get a figure. I have only had one case. A family was unable to provide the full cost to cover the burial of their loved one and so went to the CWO. The family is also pursuing whether the UK will pay some of the money because the deceased had a UK pension. The issue is a bit involved and we would appreciate if members could give us some answers.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh asked about six weeks provision. We would love to get the six weeks provision back for people because it is one of the big areas of concern. I do not know whether I have answered all of the questions.