asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he had any plans to extend the concessions such as free telephone rental which are at present available to recipients of Irish and British State pensions to those outside these categories who are otherwise qualified.

The free telephone rental allowance scheme is one of several schemes including the free electricity allowance scheme and the free television licence scheme, which are provided for persons who are elderly or permanently incapacitated, who are receiving certain social security-type payments and who are either living entirely alone or with other excepted persons.

Up to this year these allowances were only available to recipients of Irish or British State pensions. From April 1989 I extended entitlement to these schemes to all European Community social security pensioners aged 66 years or over and those aged under 66 years who are in receipt of EC invalidity pensions for more than 12 months and who are resident in Ireland. This extension will cost £0.5 million in a full year.

I also extended the schemes to cover recipients of certain long term occupational injuries payments from my Department. In addition I extended the national fuel scheme to households where a long term unemployed person is living with a pensioner or with another long term unemployed person.

These schemes were widely advertised and my Department ran an extensive media campaign to bring these important changes to the notice of the public.

I understand that the Deputy may have a particular case in mind which falls between two stools and I will certainly look into the case.

The time has come to deal with questions nominated for priority.

41.