Social Welfare Eligibility
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-09
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Charlie McConalogue (FF), Donegal

I thank Senator Byrne. I will pass on her logic and argument for the living alone allowance for those in receipt of a teacher's pension. In my response from the Minister I laid out the background. The level of cover one receives in respect of social insurance contributions is very much tied to the contributions made over the years.
In the case of those teachers employed prior to 1995, the level of contribution they made was much lower than those employed after 1995 and that is why those employed after 1995 can qualify for the living alone allowance but the other cohort cannot. It is based on the contributions they made.
It is important to point out that further supports are available to all pensioners which do not require a person to be in receipt of a pension payment or qualifying payment. For example, the fuel allowance scheme is means tested and assists pensioners and other welfare dependent households in meeting the cost of heating during the winter season. It is available to a person aged 66 or over who is in receipt of a social welfare payment and is retired. Public teachers, for example, can qualify for that. All persons over the age of 70 can receive the household benefits package. The Senator's point concerns the living alone allowance. I will inform the Minister of the case she has made.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:11+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-09