Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 April 2026
81. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to modernising the communications allowance to account for broadband and mobile data costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31212/26]
View answerThe Telephone Support Allowance is a weekly payment of €2.50 for people on certain social welfare payments who are also getting both the Living Alone Increase and the Fuel Allowance. The primary objective of the Telephone Support Allowance is to allow the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, access to personal alarms or phones for security.
In respect of expanding the payment to include its use for broadband and mobile data charges, it can of course also be used towards these costs as the payment is a cash payment that is automatically paid with a person’s main weekly social welfare payment.
However, any proposal to increase the rate payable for the Telephone Support Allowance could only be considered while taking account of overall Government policy and in a budgetary context.
While there was no increase in Budget 2026 to the rate of Telephone Support Allowance payable, those in receipt of the Telephone Support Allowance would have directly benefitted from the €5 increase to the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance payable and also from the across-the-board increases of €10 per week to primary Social Welfare payments.
In addition, a Christmas Bonus was paid in December to long-term social welfare recipients.
I will continue, as part of the budget planning process, to consider if improvements can be made to ensure that this benefit continues to target vulnerable cohorts. Any future decisions will, of course, have to take account of the availability of financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
