Louise O'Reilly
Ceist:31. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he has given consideration to updating the communications allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15411/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 26 February 2026
Ceisteanna (31)
Freagraí scríofa
The 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.
Approximately 163,000 customers are in receipt of the Telephone Support Allowance payment. The full year cost of the scheme in 2026 is estimated at €21.6 million.
While consideration is always given to any proposals to improve my Departments Schemes, any proposal to expand the qualifying criteria or 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, the Government committed €8.1 billion in additional spending, including over €1.15 billion in additional social welfare spending.
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 payment.
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.