asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the free telephone rental allowance and electricity allowance to facilitate those in receipt of British invalidity benefit; and the cost of providing such a facility.

The overall cost of extending the scheme in the manner suggested by the Deputy would be about £800,000 and I have no proposal for such an extension at present.

Would the Minister accept that those in receipt of British invalidity benefit would be eligible for this benefit if they were in receipt of an Irish invalidity pension? Would the Minister consider extending this facility to these people? The Minister gave a figure of £800,000 but that is presuming that everyone in receipt of a British invalidity pension and living in the Republic would apply for the free rental telephone allowance. From the review I have carried out, only about 7 per cent of those people would apply for this service, and consequently only about £56,000 would be needed. Would the Minister have another look at this matter in view of the figures I have given?

Certainly I will have a look at it, but as the Deputy is aware there is a difference between the invalidity benefits granted in the United Kingdom and those granted here. A person automatically gets an invalidity benefit in the United Kingdom after 28 weeks but here he must be in receipt of disability benefit for one year and then he must go before a medical referee to ensure that he is incapable of work for the future. That procedure is not necessary in Britain. If we were to grant this facility to everyone in receipt of the British invalidity benefit, it would mean that Irish people in similar circumstances would not be getting that benefit.

Would the Minister accept that most of the people in receipt of British invalidity pensions live in the border counties, particularly County Donegal? Would he give serious consideration to this question in view of the fact that it takes a long time to be granted an invalidity pension in Britain?

The point I am making is that in Britain a person will automatically qualify for an invalidity pension after 28 weeks, unlike Ireland where a person has to be on disability benefit for one year, and then must go before a medical referee. But given the cost involved, I must tell the Deputy that I do not envisage any change in the immediate future.

Would the Minister consider providing this service to those in receipt of long-term British invalidity pensions?

We can have a look at it, but given the present circumstances I do not hold out much hope because we are trying to contain situations rather than extending them.

That is all I ask.

6.