P. J. Sheehan
Ceist:115 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the free electricity scheme does not cover units used by night storage heating systems.
Written Answers. - Free Electricity Scheme.
The purpose of the free electricity allowance scheme is intended to provide additional comfort for old age or incapacitated pensioners who live alone or with certain dependants by encouraging them to use adequate electricity for cooking, light, hot water and room heating.
The scheme covers a person's normal electricity standing charges and up to 1,500 standard units of electricity each year — up to 200 units in each bimonthly billing period in summer and 300 units of electricity in each bimonthly billing period in winter. Up to 600 unused free units may be carried forward for offset against electricity usage in any subsequent billing period. Many recipients carry forward their unused summer allocation of units to provide extra comfort for themselves in the winter season.
Mainly for administrative reasons, the allowance does not cover the ESB "Nightsaver" system of electricity supply at a reduced unit tariff which is used for night storage heating. However, I am aware that the use of night storage heaters ia an economical way of providing comfortable background heating during the daytime. Such a heating system can be of considerable benefit in reducing the risk of hypothermia, particularly for older people.
In consultation with the ESB, I am considering the best way by which the scheme might be extended so as to cover electricity usage for night storage heaters. An extension of the scheme in this way could have expenditure implications and would have to be decided in a budgetary context.