1990. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has any data on the numbers of returned Irish emigrants living here in receipt of a pension from abroad (excluding the United Kingdom) but not in receipt of a State pension (details supplied); the cost of providing these supports to such persons; whether consideration will be made to providing such supports to returned emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60254/26]

My Department does not hold data on the number of people who are residing in the State and receiving a pension from abroad, but who are not in receipt of an Irish State Pension. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the costing requested by the Deputy.

The Deputy may wish to note that access to the Household Benefits Package and the Fuel Allowance is not dependent on a person being in receipt of a State Pension from my Department, subject to satisfying the conditions of each respective scheme.

The Household Benefits Package is payable to people aged 70 and over residing here on a full-time basis. Only one payment is payable per household. There is no requirement for a person aged 70 or over to be in receipt of a State Pension or other payment from my Department.

People aged 66-69 in receipt of a qualifying payment or where they satisfy a means test may also qualify for the Household Benefits Package. Qualifying payments, other than the State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory) include:

• Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension

• Deserted Wife's Benefit

• Carer's Allowance (full or half-rate payment)

• An equivalent Social Security Pension or Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement.

In the case of Fuel Allowance, there is no requirement for a person aged 66 or over to be in receipt of a State Pension or other payment from my Department in order to qualify for the allowance. However, Fuel Allowance is subject to a means test and only one is payable per household.

The Living Alone Increase is not a scheme or a stand-alone payment, but it is a supplement to a primary social protection payment of €22 per week made to people aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone.

For those aged 66 or over, payments eligible for the Living Alone Increase include State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-contributory), Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Bereaved Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme and Deserted Wife's Benefit. The Living Alone Increase is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

A person aged 66 or older who does not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory) may apply for a State Pension (Non-Contributory), which is a means-tested payment. This is a qualifying payment for the Living Alone Increase. Therefore, a person living alone who qualifies for the State Pension (Non-Contributory), at any rate of payment, will qualify for the Living Alone Increase.

There are no circumstances where the Living Alone Increase can be paid to people who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment from my Department. Any change to the qualifying criteria for the payment would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.