Those eligible for certain free services from the State will now be entitled to use an alternative telephone operator under new arrangements announced by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, announced improved services for the 300,000 eligible under the Household Benefits Package Scheme.
Ms Coughlan said that with the liberalisation of the telecomms, electricity and gas markets, opportunities had arisen to enhance the scheme by giving customers a choice of service provider.
In addition to eircom, customers may now also use Smart Telecom to provide their landline telephone services. The minister said the department aims to further expand supplier options by the end of this year.
It is also negotiating with the three mobile phone operators with a view to having at least one of them participating in the telephone allowance scheme by the end of the year.
Ms Coughlan said her department has already put procedures in place allowing people to transfer their natural gas sllowance to Flogas in areas where the company has won the contract for the supply of natural gas.
"Opportunities are also being examined to facilitate wider participation by new electricity providers in
the electricity allowance scheme, when the market for electricity supply opens next year."
The Household Benefits Package, comprising the telephone allowance, electricity/natural gas allowance and free TV licence, is available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare payment or who satisfy a means test.
It is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare payments and to all those aged 70 years and over, regardless of their income or household composition.