asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he proposes to change the social welfare code to allow disabled couples to qualify for a free telephone rental allowance, even if there is an able-bodied person living in the house so long as that person is under 16 years of age.

The free telephone rental allowance scheme was introduced so that people living alone would be enabled to have access to assistance, medical or otherwise, when the need arose. The scheme, when introduced, was confined to persons receiving old age type pensions but was subsequently extended to other categories who were considered to be equally deserving of consideration.

An exception to the living alone condition was made in the case of persons otherwise qualified but who are living only with persons who are so permanently incapacitated as to be unable to summon aid in an emergency. I am, however, having the qualifying conditions of the scheme reviewed with a view to seeing whether the present arrangements concerning children in the household under 16 years of age might impose hardship in individual cases.

The Minister is obviously aware that when two disabled persons living together have a child who is not disabled, once that child is even one year old the disabled couple are not entitled to free telephone rental. Will he agree that that is inequitable and that the child being in the house in no way relieves the hardship endured by the two disabled people? I ask the Minister to review the regulations to allow a free telephone rental to apply to people in this category until such time as the child concerned is at the age of earning his or her own living.

The Deputy has made a very valid point. I am examining that aspect of the free telephone rental allowance scheme. I assure the Deputy of my sympathy and understanding and am reviewing the situation to ascertain the numbers involved and the costing, with a view to making a submission.

That was to be my final supplementary — how much it would cost. The numbers are very small, and perhaps the Minister could give an assurance that in his budgetary submissions he will accommodate my request.

I do not have information about the number of additional pensioners who would qualify for the allowance if the scheme were extended to cover disabled couples with children, but am making inquiries in that regard. I do not think that the numbers involved would be very great.

I look forward to a positive response from the Minister.

I shall work on it.

8.