Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 502: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason receipt of a contribution payment from Great Britain is not sufficient for consideration for living alone allowance here in view of the reciprocal arrangement that exists between the two countries; his views on whether this is discriminatory to persons who live alone here but are in receipt of a payment from Great Britain (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34002/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The living alone increase is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people under 66 years of age who are living alone and who receive payments under one of a number of invalidity type schemes. The increase is intended as a contribution towards the additional costs people face when they live alone. The increase is not a payment in its own right but a supplement to an Irish social welfare payment. As such, it cannot be paid to people without a social welfare entitlement or to those whose pension payments are made exclusively under the social security regimes of other countries. In relation to the latter, the needs of older people are often provided for in different ways by other countries. While the Irish system provides a basic pension, supplemented by allowances and other benefits, the approach adopted by other countries can be very different, with each country providing for needs of older people in the way it sees fit. The fact that a living alone increase is not paid by another administration merely reflects a different approach to providing for the needs of older people. The payment of a living alone allowance independent of an Irish welfare entitlement would not be appropriate.

It is of course open to recipients of pensions from other countries to apply for pensions under the Irish system and they can do this in a number of ways. Those with a mixture of social insurance contributions from this country, other EU countries or from countries with which Ireland has reciprocal agreements may qualify for a pro-rata contributory pension. Alternatively, they may qualify for a non-contributory pension if they can satisfy a means test. Changes in the income disregard announced in Budget 2006, which saw this increased from €7.60 per week to €20 per week, will make it easier for people to qualify for a pension and receive the additional support provided under our pensions system for those who live alone.