Michael Woods
Question:190 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Social Welfare the additional cost involved in extending the free fuel scheme at the £8 per week rate to all rural and urban beneficiaries. [8637/97]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs.
The free fuel allowance is a weekly cash payment of £5 which is payable for six months of the year, from mid-October to mid-April. An extra allowance — a smokeless fuel allowance of £3 per week — was introduced in October 1990 to assist people living in the built up areas of Dublin and Cork to help meet the additional costs arising from the ban by the Department of the Environment on the sale of bituminous coal in these areas. The ban on the sale of bituminous coal has not been extended to other urban or rural areas and the question of extending the smokeless fuel allowance to recipients living in these areas does not arise.
The average weekly number of recipients of the free fuel allowance is 274,500 of which 90,000 are in receipt of the smokeless fuel allowance. The additional annual cost of extending the smokeless fuel allowance to all recipients is £14.4 million.
A review of the scheme is currently being carried out by independent consultants to ensure that it is operating effectively and equitably. The adequacy of rates of payment is one of the issues being examined in this context, and the final report is expected shortly. Any recommendations arising from the review can be considered only in the light of available resources.
Copies of the report will be placed in the Oireachtas Library as soon as they become available. A number of copies will be supplied to interested parties and Deputies.