Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 8

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Batt O'Keeffe

Question:

84 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health the reason recipients of the disabled person's maintenance allowance from the Southern Health Board do not receive the free fuel allowance until November whereas social welfare recipients receive this allowance in October. [17619/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The duration of the free fuel scheme is the same for disabled person's maintenance allowance recipients as it is for social welfare recipients i.e. 26 weeks. The scheme commenced on Monday 16 October 1995 and will operate up to the week ending 12 April 1996.

The Southern Health Board pays disabled person's maintenance allowance recipients the free fuel allowance in two instalments — one payment of £55 for the 11 week period up to 29 December 1995 and another payment of £75 made in January 1996 for the period of 15 weeks up to 12 April 1996.

In certain built-up areas of Cork, new regulations banning the sale of bituminous coal came into effect on 28 February 1995. The Southern Health Board, in determining eligibility for the allowance for 1995-96, had to check each application to ascertain whether the applicant qualified for the basic £5 per week allowance or the higher allowance of £8 per week granted to offset the extra cost of smokeless fuel. The processing of applications therefore took longer than in previous years when such regulations did not apply. Nevertheless, the Southern Health Board made all payments for the 11 week period up to 29 December by mid-November.