Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 816: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo did not qualify for the disability benefit; and if their UK contributions will be taken into consideration when determining their eligibility for this payment. [1947/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned lodged a claim for disability benefit on 20 December 2005. He did not qualify for disability benefit as he did not satisfy the qualifying conditions based on his Irish contributions alone. In particular, he did not have any contributions in the governing contribution year 2003.

As the person concerned has advised the Department that he was resident in the UK for an extensive period up to May 2005, the UK authorities have been requested to provide details of his employment contributions during this period. On receipt of this information, his entitlement to disability benefit will be reviewed. In the meantime, if his means are not sufficient to meet his needs, the person concerned should contact the community welfare officer at his local Health Service Executive office, who will advise him of his possible entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 817: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will extend free travel to older Irish emigrants, at the very least to Irish pensioners living in the UK, when they return here on their holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2138/06]

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. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It applies to travel within the State and cross-Border journeys between here and Northern Ireland.

There have been a number of requests and inquiries in regard to the extension of entitlement to free travel for Irish born people living outside Ireland, particularly in the UK. The legal advice available to me is that such a proposal would be contrary to the EC treaty, which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of nationality, I am continuing to examine all aspects of this possible scheme.

Significant improvements have been made to the free schemes, including the free travel scheme, in recent budgets both in terms of the qualifying conditions and the coverage of the schemes. I will continue to review the operation of these schemes with a view to identifying the scope for further improvements as resources permit.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 818: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if assistance is available to unemployed people who wish to apply for a truck driving licence in view of the fact that the costs of the necessary driving lessons is prohibitive while on unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit and in view of the fact that if they could obtain the licence they could get employment; and the help available to people towards the truck driving lessons. [2217/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department assists and encourages long-term unemployed, and other welfare recipients to return to work, training or further education through a range of measures administered by my Department's social and family support service. In addition, my Department's locally based facilitators operate the technical assistance and training grants, TATS, and special projects fund to provide enhanced support to people who need additional help to progress to further training and employment.

The technical assistance and training grants fund was originally established for self-employed participants in the back to work allowance scheme to provide them with training in the areas of start your own business, book-keeping-accounts, preparation of business plans, marketing, literacy and computer training and assistance with the purchase of small items of equipment. It also provides assistance with the cost of HGV training and licence to individuals where appropriate. Since 2003, the fund has been extended to support other welfare customers. In 2005, over 4,000 grants were provided at a cost of €1.879 million. The amount allocated for 2006 is €2.55 million.

My Department's special projects fund also enables facilitators to assist more marginalised groups and demonstrates the positive results of a partnership approach between my Department, the voluntary and community sector and other local players in identifying and addressing local needs in terms of training and development. Some of the projects supported include personal development, computer training, literacy-numeracy and life skills. HGV driving lessons for welfare recipients may also be supported from this fund. In 2005, a total of 198 special projects were funded, co-funded or part-funded at a cost of €2.8 million. The budget for 2006 is €2.5 million.