Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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579. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person must be in receipt of both the living alone allowance and the fuel allowance in order to qualify for the newly announced weekly telephone support allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43730/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The new telephone support allowance is targeted at those who are most in need. Accordingly, it is aimed at those living alone and of limited means as an aid to paying for communications and/or a home alert solution. Consequently, customers who qualify for the living alone allowance and who at the same time are in receipt of the fuel allowance (which is means tested allowance) will automatically qualify for the telephone support allowance.

I understand that there are currently over 124,000 customers who are likely to automatically qualify for this allowance at an estimated cost of €16.14 million in 2018. Customers are not required to make a specific application for this allowance as it will be paid to them automatically once available.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.