Vol. 399 No. 3
6 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the commencement of the ban on the sale of bituminous coal from 1 September, 1990, he will outline the number and category of persons who will be assisted with the additional cost; and if there will be graduated assistance based on strict cut-offs by category or level of benefit.
21 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to assist those on social welfare to meet the additional fuel costs, arising from the Government's decision to ban the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal in built-up areas of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
102 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the way in which he intends to spend the £3 million allocated in the budget to assist meeting the extra cost involved in purchasing alternative fuels to coal, as bituminous coals will not be available in Dublin from 1 October, 1990.
104 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Welfare when proposals for financial assistance will be brought forward to target disadvantaged households in Dublin following the ban on the sales, marketing and distribution of bituminous coal from 1 October, 1990; if he will set out the criteria for qualification for financial assistance; and if he will ensure that whatever scheme is introduced will extend into the winter months of 1991.
105 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the details of the provisions he is making to help persons on low incomes in Dublin with the extra costs of smokeless fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 21, 102, 104, and 105 together.
I am introducing a special extra allowance of £3 per week for low income households to offset the additional costs arising from the ban on bituminous coal in built-up areas of Dublin. The additional allowance will apply for the period of the heating season under the national fuel scheme, namely mid-October to mid-April.
Those living in restricted areas who will receive the new allowance will include all households that already receive a weekly fuel allowance of £5 under the national fuel scheme. Their allowance will be increased to £8 per week. This includes all long-term social welfare and health board recipients who are unable to provide for their own heating needs and live alone or only with dependants or other social welfare recipients who are also qualified for a fuel allowance. They will now receive an allowance of £8 per week instead of the standard £5.
The new allowance will also apply to people who have been in receipt of short-term unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit or disability benefit for at least three months and persons receiving family income supplement who meet the other conditions for qualifying for a fuel allowance under the national fuel scheme.
In all, approximately 81,000 households are expected to benefit under these provisions. The total estimated cost for the period covered is £6.32 million.
Presumably the Minister has already issued guidelines to community welfare officers and those in his Department who will be implementing this extra allowance. In view of the fact that the allowance will be limited to the shorter period — initiated some years ago with regard to the fuel allowance — and that the ban commences in September, would he consider extending the period during which this allowance will be payable? In addition, would he allow some flexibility, outside the social welfare system, to community welfare officers dealing with low income families who may be in receipt of State pensions other than social security ones? Is he aware that they are a group who will be hard hit by this measure, who will have absolutely no cushion unless it is provided through the social welfare system?
In the arrangements made I should have expected Deputy Flaherty to have welcomed in particular their application to the short-term because I know that is something the Deputy has stressed from time to time——
It is very welcome; the Minister has responded very well.
We have been particularly careful here to cover that short term. I can tell the Deputy we encountered enormous administrative difficulty in doing so with regard to disability benefit, apart from anything else, because of the numbers coming in and out of the system. We have endeavoured to cut the short term down to three months which I am sure the Deputy will agree is reasonable; that is as low as we could go while administering it efficiently. The vast majority of this work will be undertaken by the Department of Social Welfare. We can combine it with the payments we are making already; that is already in process. For example, the pension books at present being issued have the extra amounts entered in them. This comprises part of the computerisation process about which we spoke earlier. We have also provided for people on low incomes who are at work by extending this provision as an increase in the family income supplement. Also, we will shortly be announcing substantial improvements in the family income supplement itself which will be applicable into next year. I am quite certain that the measure we are taking will meet the requirements of those either in receipt of low incomes at work or dependent on social welfare.
