Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to make a short contribution on what is an important debate. I am one of the Members representing counties Cavan and Monaghan, an area commonly referred to as drumlin country. I have a particular concern in regard to the poor or, indeed, non-existent mobile telephone coverage in parts of the two counties. When one travels through that area, calls constantly drop. We have the additional problem in that some of the British telecommunications companies dominate the coverage along the Border.

It is in the context of the removal of the telephone allowance that I raise the following point. The panic buttons and home security alarms are an extremely important support, in particular for elderly persons living on their own. We all know people need a landline to use those facilities. The abolition of the telephone allowance is a deplorable decision which will affect almost 395,000 people, including the old, the disabled and carers. Over the years, practically every home had a landline installed. Older people relied on such a communication link to keep in touch with family and neighbours and with personnel delivering social services, whether from the statutory agencies or voluntary organisations.

This decision means a reduction of €9.50 per month in the Government support for those 395,000 people. That is a reduction in the person's income and means. The additional anxiety that will be caused by the abolition of the telephone allowance will impact most on those persons living in the most isolated communities where, by and large, the poorest mobile telephone coverage exists.

Over the past decade, many people worked hard in local communities to ensure that the vast majority of older persons or persons with a disability obtained the panic buttons and security alarms. Those communities were supported through small, but significant, grant schemes. Recently, I heard one of the advocacy groups ask where now stands the promises in the Government's National Positive Ageing Strategy.

All of us doing constituency work must be very conscious of the considerable and, indeed, justified concern of people in regard to medical cards. We are all aware of individual cases of huge hardship in households where medical cards have not been renewed or where first-time applications have been inexplicably refused. This has been happening for months and the recent budgetary decisions will lead to further hardship for the elderly, the ill and vulnerable people.

Recently, I dealt with the case of a woman aged 96 who, unfortunately, has totally lost her sight. That family had to re-apply for her medical card. It is a very literate family but it created that extra pressure. To its credit, that family has cared for that woman at home and she has never spent a day in a nursing home. Why should a family face that additional unnecessary pressure to get a medical card renewed for a lady of 96 years of age?

The elderly people who contacted me are very concerned and worried about the change in eligibility for these necessary supports, whether medical cards or supports from the Department of Social Protection. Pensioners who worked hard for decades, often in the most difficult circumstances, paid their dues to this State and made a huge contribution to our society. The least they should expect now is to have the necessary support that they can live securely and free from worry about day-to-day living costs.

All of us support and understand their wish and desire to live independently with dignity and without anxiety at this stage of their lives. At no time is a family more vulnerable than at the time when a bereavement occurs. As Deputy Calleary said, the bereavement grant was based on the insurance contribution of the deceased during his or her working life. In many instances, it was extremely important for families in difficult financial circumstances. I was amazed to hear the Minister, Deputy Quinn, make a comment on the radio to the effect that the grant was eaten up by the undertaker. The people I mix with through my work and the people I meet as I go about my daily business can ill afford the loss of €850 in the event of a bereavement in their families. All of us are familiar with the particular pressures being faced by families.

I welcome the comments made by Deputy Wall, who appealed for common sense to be shown in the administration of the medical card scheme. I know the Minister of State, Deputy White, is a practical man. I hope he can ensure that practical ideas are pursued to ensure people do not continue to have these worries. I remind Deputy Nolan, who mentioned that the word "loneliness" is not mentioned in our motion, that the word "isolation" is included in it. It is particularly important for those of us who represent rural constituencies because we know many people who will feel isolated if these harsh measures are implemented.

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