asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore to the old age pensioners the fuel vouchers which they received under the Cheap Fuel Scheme, as the increase in pensions does not compensate for the withdrawal of these vouchers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Vouchers for Old Age Pensioners.
56.
Fuel vouchers have not been withdrawn from non-contributory old age pensioners and these vouchers were not at any time issued to contributory pensioners as such. I presume the Deputy is referring to some persons in whose cases contributory old age pension was substituted for non-contributory pension.
As I explained in the Dáil on the 23rd November last contributory pensioners are not subject to a means test and cannot be presumed, generally speaking, to be in necessitous circumstances. Apart from the question of other means many of them are still in employment or in receipt of superannuation payments from their former employers.
There were in fact few cases in which the increase resulting from the change to contributory pension did not more than compensate for the value of the fuel voucher. If any pensioners are genuinely in need they are eligible for home assistance and in that event are entitled to obtain fuel vouchers free of charge. It is difficult therefore to visualise how hardship could have been caused in any particular case.
In the circumstances I do not consider that any action on my part is called for but if the Deputy will let me have particulars of any instance in which hardship is alleged I will have it investigated by the local authority.
I do not think it would be possible for anybody to give a list of all the people who suffer hardship because of the change. The Minister has admitted in his reply that some of those who received contributory old age pensions and who were deprived of the free fuel voucher as a consequence did suffer loss. I merely asked the Minister if he would consider advising or directing local authorities to revive the free fuel voucher for these particular people.
My information is that there would not be more than 30 or 40 altogether. If the Deputy knows of any case of a person who had a non-contributory pension and who got the lowest rate of contributory pension, and is thereby suffering hardship, I will ask the local authority to investigate the matter.
I would not mind doing that but it will not be an easy job for every public representative to submit a list to the Minister.
It will be a very short list.
It would be better, I think, if the Minister were to ask his officials to send a circular to each local authority operating the free fuel scheme directing them to treat these pensioners as he would like them to be treated.
I shall consider that. The Dublin Health Authority gives free fuel to 134 contributory pensioners on varying rates of pension. Other local authorities can do the same.