Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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409. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of operating the weekly telephone support allowance; the estimated cost of increasing this allowance by €1, €1.50, €2 and €2.50; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14729/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The new weekly Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) of €2.50 will be paid from June 2018. People in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and also Fuel Allowance will automatically qualify for the TSA. It is expected that approximately 124,176 customers will qualify for the scheme and the estimated full year cost is €16.14 million.

The estimated additional cost of increasing the TSA by €1.00, €1.50, €2.00 and €2.50 are set out in the following table. This estimate is based on 124,176 customers receiving the TSA.

The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people access to personal alarms or phones for security. The allowance will also encourage social contact and assist in the prevention of social isolation for those living alone.

The criteria for the TSA are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment ensuring that the TSA payment goes only to people on low income who live alone.

Any decision to increase the rate of TSA would considerably increase the overall cost of the scheme and would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.