Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

68. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring the telephone allowance to 2013 levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29781/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The overall concern of Government in its Budgets has been to protect the primary social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions at approx. €6.675 billion is the largest block of expenditure in the Department in the Estimate for 2015, representing approx. 34.4% of overall expenditure. Because of demographic changes, the Department’s spending on older people is increasing year on year. The Department had to make provision for an additional €168 million this year for the increasing number of pensioners. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other core payments is critical in protecting people from poverty.

The decision to discontinue the telephone allowance provided annual savings of €48 million and meant that the Department was able to retain the other valuable elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. The Department will spend approx. €237 million this year on these elements of the household benefits package for over 415,000 customers.

Any decision to reinstate the telephone allowance would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.