Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on extending the household benefits package to all pensioners, including those with family members living with them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40328/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity/gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. Widows and widowers aged 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefits package retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse.

People aged over 70 years of age can qualify for the household benefits package regardless of their income or household composition. Those aged under 70 must live alone or with certain excepted people in order to qualify. Excepted people for the purposes of the scheme include qualified adults, dependent children under age 18 or under age 22 if in full time education, people who are so incapacitated as to require constant care and attention for at least 12 months; people who would qualify for the allowance in their own right, people who are providing constant care and attention to any member of the household who is so incapacitated as to require constant care and attention for at least 12 months. A range of proposals have been made to extend the coverage of the household benefits package of schemes. These proposals are kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme, the achieving of maximum supports for those most in need of the entitlements, and budgetary resources.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the increases to the fuel allowance implemented since Budget 2005; if an increase has been given in response to the price increases in gas and electricity; if the number of units of electricity is being increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40377/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The aim of the fuel allowance scheme is to assist householders on long term social welfare or health service executive payments with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season. Fuel allowance, which is paid for 29 weeks from end-September to mid-April represents a contribution towards a person's normal heating expenses. Some 274,000 people (151,000 with basic fuel allowance and 123,000 with smokeless fuel supplement) will benefit in 2006 at an estimated annual cost €125.1m.

A number of improvements have been made to the scheme in recent years including the easing of the means test and extending the duration of payment from 26 weeks to 29 weeks. Most recently, Budget 2006 provided for an increase in the rate of fuel allowance of €5.00 from €9.00 to €14.00 (€17.90 in designated smokeless areas).

I have also made provision for increases in the value of the household benefits package. I increased the value of the natural gas allowance to cover increased standing charges and the associated VAT as well as additional kilowatt hour usage in order to cover the 33.8 % increase in the cost of natural gas from October 1st. This means that the value of the natural gas allowance to a household has increased from €313.17 to €516.00 per year.

At present, the electricity allowance covers normal standing charges and up to 1,800 units of electricity. The allowance also covers the VAT applicable to these charges. In the light of the recent increase in electricity charges, the allowance will be increased to cover increased standing charges and the units will also increase from 1,800 to 2,400 with effect from January 2007. I am confident that these increases will be of major benefit to these recipients. Any further changes to the fuel allowance scheme or the household benefits package would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in the context of the Budget and in the light of the resources available for improvements in social welfare generally.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the cost of increasing the income disregard for a carer's spouse to €700; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40403/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting and recognising carers in our society is and has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended.

In line with other social assistance schemes, a means test is applied to the carer's allowance so as to ensure that limited resources are directed to those in greatest need. This means test has been eased significantly over the years. Following Budget 2006, since April, the earnings disregard for a couple has been set at €580 per week which is equivalent to gross average industrial earnings. This means that a couple with two children can earn up to €32,925 per annum and still receive the maximum rate of carer's allowance as well as free travel, the household benefits package and the respite care grant.

In accordance with the social partnership agreement, "Towards 2016 ", I am committed to expanding, subject to available resources, the income limits for carer's allowance and aiming to keep the level of the disregard in line with average industrial earnings. It is estimated that, at current rates of payment, increasing the earnings disregard for a couple to €700 per week would cost in the region of €10 million for a full year.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of maternity benefit claims for 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40415/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department received a total of 35,623 claims for maternity benefit in 2005. A total of 33,988 claims were put into payment during that year at a total cost of some €133.6 million.