Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare had their rent supplement suspended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39102/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that payment of rent supplement in this case was suspended pending verification of the address of the person concerned.

Payment of rent supplement has now been restored.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 435: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the sum of money allocated to RTE in 2010 out of his Department's budget in respect of the free television licence scheme; his views that such payment is justified in the context of the current Exchequer deficit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39111/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The cost of the Free TV Licence scheme, administered under the Household Benefit package, was € 55.7 million in 2009 and the projected cost for 2010 is €59.2 million.

The current number of eligible customers for the Free TV licence scheme is 389,800.

The Household Benefits package, which comprises the Electricity/Gas Allowance, Telephone Allowance and free Lifetime Television Licence, is available to people living permanently in the State who satisfy specific qualifying criteria.

The package is payable to all customers in receipt of Carer's Allowance and persons aged over 70 years. It is available to customers under the age of 70 in receipt of qualifying payments from this Department or an equivalent payment from a country covered by EU regulation or Bilateral Social Security agreement and who live with certain categories of persons. Customers aged between 66 and 69 years who do not satisfy the criteria may qualify under a means test.

For most people television is an essential support in preventing social isolation; it is the principle medium for information and entertainment. The advantage of the TV licence scheme is that it takes care of a large annual non-discretionary bill for a group who may find it difficult to budget.

Payment for the scheme is made by this Department to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Payments are made on a monthly basis using an agreed formula based on a percentage of the Department's customer base.

Any changes to the current arrangements could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of available resources. At this stage no decisions have been taken with regard to the forthcoming budget.