This matter relates to the telephone support allowance. It is one of those things that is an essential part of the income for a lot of people. The organisation ALONE has highlighted not just the value of this allowance but also the fact that it has not been keeping pace anywhere close to inflation. It was not increased in the most recent budget. I understand that the primary objective 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 and, absolutely, that is essential. However, there is more and more of an emphasis now on availability and access to data and mobile phones. It strikes me that the allowance is deficient in two ways. One is that it is not enough; it was not increased. We have just spent a couple of hours in here and nobody would dispute the fact that the cost of everything is going up, but also the fact that it is not modern or fit for purpose. I am, therefore, echoing the calls that have been made by ALONE about the clear necessity to expand the payment. It said this in its pre-budget submissions. It looked for an increase of €7.50, which is a fairly modest and balanced ask, to be fair. This is mostly for vulnerable groups, specifically, but the largest cohort who use it are older people. The Minister of State will know that when people cannot pay their bills, they cannot do a side hustle, as the Americans call it. They are on a fixed income and that is it. Their pension from the State, small as it is, has to stretch to meet all their outgoings. More and more, we see that communication of all forms is shifting online. I was struggling when I was coming in to think of people I know who still have a landline. They are moving rapidly towards obsolescence. I do not lay the blame for that at the Minister of State's door. People are voting with their feet. They are not getting landlines anymore. It is quite unusual outside of an office environment to even get a landline number. In a reply to a parliamentary question, the Minister for Social Protection stated that he "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." Shortly after he gave that answer, it turned out that there were slightly more resources available than perhaps had been obvious. The cost of the increase to €7.50 is €67 million. It is a modest amount. It is a small and simple ask. Broadband is expensive. Mobile data plans are expensive and connectivity has never been more important. There was the report on loneliness, particularly in rural Ireland. Often it is a lack of connectivity that people will tell you they are experiencing. I seek an update on whether improvements can be made. I think they can. I outlined improvements that could be made. I also ask the Minister of State to give an indication of what the Government's thinking is on this allowance because it is rapidly becoming obsolete. As he will be aware, it is only €2.50 per week.

Sentiment score: -0.02

To increase it to €7.50.

Sentiment score: 0.32

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I do not mean this disrespectfully but when I have asked a question about the telephone allowance, it is probably not helpful for anyone listening in who might be conscious of the issue of the telephone allowance that the Minister of State listed other payments. We understand that there were modest increases in the budget. They did not keep pace with inflation. He will know, as I do, that inflation was running at 1.8% when the Government wrote its budget and it is now at 3.6%. That has doubled and that has pushed people who are dependent on social welfare even further into poverty. The Minister of Stat referred to "over 164,000 customers" in his reply. It is only 164,000 customers and we are not talking about large numbers. Increasingly, private care companies are shifting online to a more visual check-in with clients. That is not something that I necessarily support. In fact, I campaigned against it when I was a trade union organiser representing home helps. Much as I do not think it is good for either workers or older people, that is the direction of travel. Increasingly, older people are finding themselves in a situation where access to mobile data is not optional; it is essential for them to live their lives. The existence of the telephone support allowance is to ensure that people remain connected, can participate and are not further isolated, but if it is not updated, it will leave a significant cohort of people out. I welcome the fact that consideration will be given to it as part of the budgetary process and I thank the Minister of State for bringing my remarks back to the senior Minister.

Sentiment score: 0.16