asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the free telephone rental allowance to persons over pension age living alone who are in receipt of United Kingdom pensions.

United Kingdom pensioners resident in the State, who are also in receipt of a pension from my Department, are already eligible for a free telephone rental allowance where they satisfy the remaining qualifying conditions of the scheme. It is not proposed at present to extend the free telephone rental allowance scheme to other categories of pensioners.

Could I ask the Minister whether he accepts that this is very unjust discrimination against many of our people who, for one reason or another, had to emigrate in the past and have now returned to retire to live in Ireland and who are not being given the same benefits, to which they would appear to be entitled since we are all in the EEC, if for no other reason? Would the Minister not accept that this is a very unfair discrimination.

The further extension of the scheme is a matter that can be considered in relation to further budgetary provisions.

Would the Minister himself, as the Minister charged with responsibility for administration of the scheme, accept my view that people who have had to emigrate in the past and who have now returned here are being discriminated against in this regard and that the scheme should be extended to cover them?

I am sorry, did I misunderstand the Minister? Did he say that UK and Northern Ireland pensioners are entitled to the free telephone rental?

If they are in receipt of a living alone allowance from the Department of Social Welfare.

Is it not a fact that they cannot get a living alone allowance unless they qualify for a non-contributory pension?

Unless they had a further pension within the scheme.

Is it not the situation that if they have a UK pension they will not qualify because of the lower rate here?

They may have both pensions, Deputy. Some have both.

I would point out to the Deputies——

This is a misleading answer.

Before I call on Deputy Horgan, I would point out to the Deputies on these Social Welfare questions that the Estimate will be before the House tomorrow and it may provide an opportunity for some of the debate which is, unfortunately, creeping in here.

Could I ask the Minister to reply to my earlier question? Does he agree that there is discrimination? That is a question to which the Minister can answer yes or no.

I do not agree that there is any discrimination under the scheme. The scheme is straightforward and forthright. There is the fact that some people returning from abroad may not be included in it and that they—and the Deputy on their behalf—may seek an extension of this scheme but there is no discrimination within the scheme.

Does the Minister feel that they should be included?

Finally, in relation to Deputy Quinn's point, in case it would be misunderstood I will give the answer again.

United Kingdom pensioners resident in the State who are also in receipt of a pension from my Department——

There are very few.

Well, there are pensioners in that situation.

—are already eligible for a free telephone rental allowance where they satisfy the remaining qualifying conditions of the scheme.

as everyone else does.

It is not proposed at present to extend the free telephone rental allowance scheme to other categories of pensioners.

There is no inaccuracy or dishonesty in the answer given. There are pensioners who are not in receipt of a pension from my Department.

Manipulation.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, in view of the very obvious implication in the Minister's answer that the reason why this scheme will not be extended to cover the pensioners mentioned in the question is financial, could the Minister say whether or not he has costed the possible extension of the scheme to include the category mentioned and what the cost figure is?

It is estimated at the moment that there are 2,830 British retirement pensioners residing in this State who would be eligible for free telephone rental allowance.

So to get the total cost, I multiply that number by the normal cost of a rental? And the Minister cannot even find that amount of money?

The Minister does realise, of course, that anybody who is getting a full British or Northern Ireland pension is not entitled to the single free allowance here. I am sure he is also aware that people who are working, particularly in Border areas in Northern Ireland, and who reside in the State now find themselves not entitled to free telephone rental allowance.

Please put the question first, instead of making a statement on the subject.

As I have said, further extension of the scheme will be considered in the light of the resources available.