Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to review the free travel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40665/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The current free travel scheme operated by the Department provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators.

While the scheme is free for those who are eligible, all of the transport companies involved, including CIE, are paid for the service by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The estimated cost of the scheme in 2009 is €76.4 million.

All schemes are kept under review as part of the Estimates and budgetary process.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to withdraw the free television licence from old age pensioners. [40668/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The free television licence is a component of the household benefits package which also includes the electricity/gas allowance and telephone rental schemes. The package is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare payment or who satisfy a means test. It is also available to people aged under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability payments or carer's allowances. Over 380,000 people are in receipt of a household benefits package from the Department.

All schemes are kept under review as part of the Estimates and budgetary process. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on individual schemes in advance of the Budget.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action she is taking to progress the introduction of a unified means test. [40736/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department administers a number of social assistance schemes to meet the income support needs of certain people. The associated means tests are designed to reflect the particular circumstances of these individuals and their families as well as the different life cycle stages. Over the years, various developments in means testing have led to the system becoming complex and difficult for the individual to comprehend. The Department would wish to move to a simpler more unified approach to means testing, especially for those of working age.

As a separate but related exercise, the Department is currently examining the feasibility of introducing a single social assistance payment for people of working age. The review will examine the rules and conditions, including the means testing rules, that currently apply and the various supports available to people of working age with a view to ascertaining how these could be rationalised in the context of a single payment to meet the objective of supporting people back to work, education and/or training and other development opportunities, as appropriate. It is expected that the feasibility report will be finalised by end of 2009.

An inter-departmental working group was established in March 2009, on foot of a recommendation in the Task Force Report Transforming Public Services, to undertake a detailed study on the feasibility and value of introducing mechanisms to simplify the provision of means information to all public bodies. This working group is chaired by a senior official of this Department. While the group is not examining a proposal for a unified means test, its work will include consideration of all possibilities in relation to simplifying and achieving other efficiencies across all public bodies with regard to means testing arrangements. The work of the group is progressing well and the feasibility report is expected by the end of 2009.