Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason persons (details supplied) in County Mayo have been refused rent supplement that would enable them to transfer from their current address to more suitable accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21858/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The regulations governing the payment of rent supplement stipulate that, in general, rent supplement is not paid to people who vacate local authority accommodation. Furthermore, rent supplement is not ordinarily paid unless the local authority is satisfied that the applicant has a housing need which the local authority is not in a position to address. However, the regulations provide the Health Service Executive with discretion to pay a rent supplement where it considers the exceptional or special circumstances of the particular case so warrant.

The family concerned is residing in local authority housing. It has made inquiries about its rent supplement eligibility but has not made a formal application. The western area of the executive has advised that, in its opinion, the circumstances in this case do not warrant payment of rent supplement in respect of private rented accommodation as an alternative. The family has been advised that the most appropriate course of action in its case is to request their local authority to transfer it to another house elsewhere.

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will review the position regarding a pension payable to a person seeking the one parent family payment is taken fully into account with no disregard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21714/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The policy in relation to one parent family payment is to encourage and facilitate lone parents in moving into the paid labour force. The main element of this policy is an earnings disregard of €146.50 per week. This disregard is designed to help towards expenses incurred from taking up employment such as travel, child-minding etc. There is no disregard given to a person whose income is an occupational pension.

I have given a commitment in my Department's statement of strategy to review the operation of income support arrangements for lone parents. Pending the findings of this review, there are no plans to amend the qualifying criteria for the one parent family payment.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to extend the right to a free travel pass to persons under 66 years of age, with an identified medical condition, but in receipt of payment of another EU jurisdiction. [21720/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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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 people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such as disability allowance, invalidity pension and blind person's pension. People who are in receipt of a social security invalidity or disability payment from a country covered by EU regulations, or from a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement, and who have been on this payment for at least 12 months, are also eligible for free travel.

Further extensions to the free travel scheme could only be considered in a budgetary context and taking account of the financial and other needs of those not covered by the existing arrangements.