Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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197. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to re-introduce a type of payment to assist persons (details supplied) who are living in fear in their communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5989/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department will spend approximately €227 million this year on the household benefits package for approximately 415,000 customers.

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. As the Deputy is aware, in Budget 2015, we partially restored the Christmas Bonus and increased the living alone allowance. In these circumstances, I have no plans to restore the telephone allowance, which would cost in the region of €48 million per year. Any decision to increase the household benefits package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.

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.