Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on extending free travel passes to deserted wives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3681/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such as disability allowance, invalidity pension and blind person's pension. A range of proposals, including that referred to by the Deputy, has been made to extend the coverage of the free travel scheme. These proposals are kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme and budgetary resources.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare has not been granted a rent subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3796/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. The Dublin-mid-Leinster area of the Health Service Executive has advised that no decision has been made yet in relation to the rent supplement application from the person concerned. It has further advised that the person concerned first applied for a rent supplement on 16 January 2006 and the application is still under review. A decision on the matter is expected shortly.