276 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the means by which each level of contributory old age pension is calculated; if a set percentage is applied at each level each year; if the difference each year is a specified monetary amount; the plans, if any, he has to change the method of calculation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4167/00]

One of the qualifying conditions for entitlement to the old age contributory pension requires that the claimant achieves a certain standard number of social insurance contributions. Where this standard is met, payment is made at the maximum rate. However, even where this standard has not been achieved, payment can still be made in certain cases, but at a reduced rate.

The actual rates of reduced pension are determined by the number of contributions paid. The level of pension payable in such cases is generally set as a percentage of the maximum payment.

For example, a yearly average of 48 contributions is required in order to qualify for the maximum rate of old age contributory pension, currently £89 a week. Reduced rate pensions ranging between 92% and 98% of the maximum pension are paid where a person has a yearly average of between 20 and 47 contributions. As can be seen, these reduced rates of pension are not paid in direct proportion to the periods of insurance completed. This system was designed to ensure reduced rate contributory pensions were pitched higher than the maximum rate of old age non-contributory pension, thereby obviating the need to supplement the contributory pensions scheme by way of Exchequer subvention.

Special measures have been introduced however in recent years, in light of difficulties which have arisen in the case of certain categories of workers, so as to extend entitlement to reduced rate contributory pensions to additional categories of workers. These special reduced rate pensions have been set at 25%, 50% and 75% of the maximum rate pension. These levels of reduced rate pensions are very favourable when account is taken of the relatively low number of contributions paid in these cases. For example, a person with a yearly average of, say, ten contributions, that is, one-fifth of the required standard for the maximum pension, can still receive a pension at half the maximum rate.

My Department has recently been reviewing the qualifying conditions for old age contributory and retirement pensions. One of the issues examined as part of this review is the current structure of the contributory rate bands. Arising from this review, I have made provision in the Social Welfare Bill, 2000, for an improvement in the structure of the payment bands for old age contributory and retirement pensions. Accordingly, some 38,000 pensioners currently receiving reduced rate of old age contributory and retirement pensions ranging from £81.90 to £86.60 a week will have their personal rate of payment increased to £94.10 a week, from May 2000. This will mean overall increases in personal weekly rates of pension of between £7.50 and £12.20 for people in this category.

With regard to the question of the level of budgetary increases provided for recipients of reduced rate contributory pensions, this matter is determined by the existing percentage relationship between the reduced rate and the appropriate maximum rate of payment. This is the system which has operated since the introduction of the old age contributory pension scheme and it applies equally where the general increases are provided on a percentage basis or, as has been the case in recent years, on a monetary basis.

277 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he has received a report of the review group on the possibility of extending free travel facilities to recipients of disability allowance when attending community workshops where no other transport is available. [4195/00]

A free travel pass automatically issues to all recipients of disability allowance at the time their disability allowance is awarded. A free travel companion pass is issued to recipients of disability allowance who are medically assessed as being unfit to travel alone. This type of pass allows any one person, aged 16 or over, to accompany the pass holder free of charge when travelling. An unrestricted free travel pass is available to recipients of disability allowance who have a mental disability; attend a long-term rehabilitative course recognised by this Department – the course must be full-time, that is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and last for at least three months; or are aged 16 to 18 and studying at a special second level school for people with a disability.

This type of pass allows the pass holder to avail of free travel during the times normally restricted for standard free travel pass holders.

The Department of Health and Children operates a mobility allowance scheme to provide financial support for severely disabled people who are unable to walk or use public transport. This allowance is available to applicants over the age of 16 and under 66 and may be used to finance taxi journeys. That Department also administers the motorised transport grants scheme to provide financial assistance for disabled persons who may need a car to obtain or retain employment or who are living in very isolated circumstances and have serious transport problems. Issues in relation to this area are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children.

I understand the Deputy is referring to the use of the free travel pass on transport services that are generally provided by the health boards and do not form part of the free travel scheme. I am not aware of a review group that is examining the possibility of extending free travel facilities to encompass these types of services. This would appear to be more relevant to my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children.

A fundamental review of the free schemes of this Department is being conducted to assess whether the objectives of these schemes are being achieved in the most efficient and effective manner. This includes an examination of the qualifying conditions for the schemes, the target groups and the scope for alternative policy arrangements.

278 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to introduce a continual care payment as recommended in the review of the carer's allowance. [4203/00]

The review of the carer's allowance, published in October 1998, recognised that the caring role can differ widely in relation to care intensity and the time and stress involved. It proposed the introduction of a new continual care payment to formally recognise those carers who are providing the highest levels of care and to promote care in the community. The review envisaged that the payment would be available to carers who provide care for those who are in the highest category of dependency and would be paid irrespective of income or social welfare entitlement.

In order to differentiate between the levels of care and care needs, the review considered that a needs assessment encompassing the needs of the care recipient and the carer should be introduced, and that the continual care payment could be introduced following the introduction of such an assessment. It was considered that a needs assessment would separate care needs from income support needs and could be used by all State organisations which provide reliefs or grants for those in need of care. A working group, chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Moffatt, and comprising membership from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the health boards has been established to examine the feasibility of introducing such a needs assessment approach.

One of the key priorities identified in the Government's review of An Action Programme for the Millennium is to establish a pilot system of needs assessment for carers and people needing care to be operated by the health boards. This area is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. The introduction of a continual care payment will be examined further following the outcome of this pilot scheme.

279 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that glutaraldehyde is listed as a respiratory sensitor by the Health and Safety Authority and has not been included in the scheme covering occupational injury and his Department is disallowing claims of occupational asthma on grounds that it has not recognised certain activities using this chemical as prescribed occupations for occupational asthma. [4204/00]

280 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the grounds of refusal of occupational injury benefit to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3 which is to be appealed; and if this case will be assessed fairly on its merits without a change in his Department's guidelines on occupational asthma. [4205/00]

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 279 and 280 together.

The legislation governing the occupational injuries scheme provides entitlement to disablement benefit for persons suffering from certain prescribed diseases listed in the legislation, where they have contracted the disease in the course of their employment. Where a person has contracted one of the diseases listed in the legislation, benefits are payable only if they were employed in an occupation which is specifically prescribed in relation to that disease. Occupational asthma is a prescribed disease in relation to employments where there is exposure to certain specified agents. Glutaraldehyde is not included in the list of causative agents for occupational asthma.

The person concerned made a claim for disablement benefit and unemployability supplement under the occupational injury benefit scheme on 24 September 1999 in respect of occupational asthma which she claimed to be due to exposure to glutaraldehyde. Her claim was disallowed by a deciding officer. She has appealed against this decision and arrangements are being made to have her appeal heard as soon as possible.

The functions of the health and safety authority differ from those of my Department and many substances listed as hazardous by the authority would not be appropriate in the context of the occupational injuries scheme.

A working group headed up by the Department's chief medical adviser has recently been established within the Department to review the current list of prescribed diseases and employments and to make recommendations on any appropriate amendments, deletions and additions that should be made to it in light of current medical knowledge and having regard to changing work environments. The working group, as part of its deliberations, will consider the question of whether employments which have exposure to glutaraldehyde should be added to the list.

281 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to increase the amount a spouse of an unemployed person is allowed to earn before the benefit of that person is affected; and when this amount was last increased. [4339/00]

The income limit of £60 referred to by the Deputy was set by way of regu lations in June 1993. At that time, once the income of the spouse of a welfare claimant exceeded that threshold, the qualified adult allowance was withdrawn in its entirety. In addition, the rate of child dependant allowance payable was halved. In the interim, however, I have introduced regulations which currently provide for the tapered withdrawal of the QAA for claimants of certain welfare payments where the spouse of the claimant has an income of between £60 and £105 per week.

A range of further significant improvements to these tapering arrangements which will take effect from April of this year were announced in the recent budget. Most notably, these changes include: an adjustment in the income range over which the tapering arrangements apply from the current £60 – £105 to £70 – £135; an improvement in the withdrawal rate of QAA; the deferral of the reduction of 50% in the level of child dependant allowances, which currently takes effect when the income of the spouse exceeds £60, until such income exceeds £135.

I am also providing for the extension of tapering arrangements to long-term welfare payments such as invalidity pension, retirement pension and old age contributory pension with effect from April 2000. In effect, this means that all relevant welfare schemes will now be covered by tapering arrangements.

282 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional facilities, if any, he has made available for old age pensioners during 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4379/00]

One of the key priorities of this Government is to secure the future of our older people. The Social Welfare Bill, 2000, which I published yesterday, provides for investment of over £428 million in social welfare measures as well as reductions in PRSI and health contributions. This represents an increase of £128 million since the budget, aimed mainly at improving the position of pensioners, people with disabilities and those on low income.