Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. I thank him for giving of his time to deal with this matter.

The household benefits package helps with the cost of electricity or gas and waives the television licence fee for persons aged 70 or over and has been of immense help to thousands of people across the country. It is a scheme which should be lauded and built upon.

In recognition of the role played by the Internet in our daily lives, the inclusion of a broadband allowance as part of the household benefits package is merited. In 2022, the Internet is essential. It is as essential as our road and water infrastructure. People need to be connected and the problems with social isolation during Covid shows that very clearly.People need to be connected. All the attention that has been paid during Covid shows that very clearly. Social isolation has been shown to significantly increase a person's risk of premature death and reduce quality of life.

The Internet connects people and the older people in our communities need that connection, perhaps more than anyone. I know of an older women whose consistent social occasion was weekly bridge played at the local parish centre, which went online during Covid. Her family bought her an iPad to take part and she had to learn how to use that. She only had WiFi installed recently and that was another monthly cost, but it was worth it 1,000 times over to still be able to see her friends, play together and maintain that social identity and connection and to video call family members many countries away and across the seas, to remain even closer while apart.

That is what the Internet offers to older people and if we value mental health and equality in this country, we will help those people who may otherwise struggle or be unable, to stay connected. However, it is not just anecdotal evidence that shows this. A 2020 study, carried out by researchers in University College Dublin and published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, found links between more frequent Internet use and increases in well-being in older adults, from higher rates of life satisfaction, to lower rates of depression.

Another report by the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing found that some 30% of adults over 50 who live alone did not have any access to the Internet. Professor Desmond O'Neill, a consultant geriatrician, said, "It does suggest that there is a market for older people to get access, perhaps a subsidy". The amount given monthly by such a broadband allowance would have to be based on statistics collected by the Department in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, but could be paid directly to the Internet provider as a credit against the bill each month, as is the case currently with Electric Ireland for electricity, or Bord Gáis or Flogas for gas.

Most Internet service providers charge approximately €35 for the first 12 months of a contract, with prices then rising to roughly €55 after that. It may not seem like much to some, but to others, it is an insurmountable financial obstacle. At a time we are acknowledging the rising cost of living and the exceptional rise in global energy prices, we should take this opportunity to ensure that our older community members are looked after and will not be left behind. Now is the time for an opportunity to make a difference in the age-based digital divide.

I know also that the telephone support allowance is there, but that is only €2.50 per week. One has to be over the age of 70, living alone and getting the fuel allowance in order to get that. It really does not cover the cost of broadband. I hope the Minister of State will look at that with regard to extending the household benefit package to include the cost of broadband.