Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
998. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if there could be consideration for a fuel allowance to be paid to polio survivors (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37752/23]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources within their household.
Any decision to adjust the rules of Fuel Allowance to allow the cohort of people outlined by the Deputy to qualify for Fuel Allowance irrespective of their receipt of a qualifying Social Protection payment or their means would change the targeted nature of the scheme. Any such decision would also have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Finally, my Department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
