Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 October 2005
322 Mr. N. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will consider making a concession in this year’s budget for old age pensioners who use piped gas in view of the recent increase in the cost of same. [28176/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor people paying for natural gas on the Bord Gáis standard tariff, the natural gas allowance covers a credit of up to €47.67 in each two-monthly billing period in winter and a credit of up to €35.67 in each two-monthly billing period in summer. Recipients on one of the other tariffs can get an allowance up to this value.
On 1 October 2005, these amounts increased to €59.71 in each two-monthly billing period in the winter and €44.68 in each two-monthly billing period in the summer. This increase will meet the 25.26% increase in natural gas tariffs. The increased allowance will appear in gas bills issued next December.
323 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if winter clothing will be provided as an exceptional need in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow. [28181/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for exceptional needs payments to assist with essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of his or her household income or other resources.
The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned applied for an exceptional needs payment for clothing purposes. She was advised in September of the circumstances under which the executive would consider granting an exceptional needs payment for clothing and was invited to provide further information relating to her circumstances. As no details were subsequently received from the person concerned, the executive has not been in a position to make a decision on her claim.
