Written answers

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Department of Social Protection

Security of the Elderly

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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103. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of elderly persons have been compelled to abandon security systems within their homes due to the abolition of the telephone allowance; her plans to rectify this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39806/14]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department will spend €230 million this year on the household benefits package for almost 415,000 customers. The Government has already announced that from 2015 the household benefits package and the fuel allowance will also include a quarterly water support payment of €25. The estimated cost of this new water support payment of €100 per annum will be in the region of €66 million in 2015. The living alone allowance has been increased to €9 benefitting 177,500 people at a cost of €12 million. A 25% Christmas bonus will benefit over 1.16 million people at a cost of €63.5 million I am confident that these measures will continue to meet the needs of those most in need.

The Department published a social impact assessment of the main welfare and tax measures in Budget 2014, including the discontinuing of the telephone allowance. The analysis showed that the family type most affected was unemployed single people, not the elderly. There was no significant change in the at-risk-of-poverty rate, as social transfers continue to perform strongly, substantially reducing the at-risk-of-poverty rate during the economic recession.

The decision to discontinue the telephone allowance provided annual savings of €48 million and meant that the Department was able to retain the other elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. These are valuable supports for recipients. The fuel allowance scheme and the free travel pass were also protected for older people and people with disabilities.

The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government operates the seniors alert scheme which provides grant support for the supply of equipment such as personal alarms, smoke detectors and security lighting to enable older people without sufficient means to continue to live securely in their homes. Funding for this scheme will continue in 2015.

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