Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

504. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost if the telephone support allowance increased to €4 per week. [6290/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Telephone Support Allowance is a weekly payment of €2.50 for people on certain social welfare payments who are also getting both the Living Alone Increase and the Fuel Allowance. The primary objective of the Telephone Support Allowance is to allow the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, access to personal alarms or phones for security. Approximately 160,000 customers are in receipt of the Telephone Support Allowance payment. The full year cost of the scheme in 2025 is estimated at €21.8 million.

If the measure outlined by the Deputy was introduced in 2026, it is estimated that there would be an average of 166,000 recipients of the Telephone Support Allowance. The estimated total cost of the measures outlined by the Deputy is therefore €12.95 million.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.