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Social Welfare Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Ceisteanna (5)

Michael Collins

Ceist:

5. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reconsider the criteria for the fuel allowance and allow some latitude in the application criteria for the allowance whereby, for example, persons who apply for the jobseeker’s or supplementary welfare allowance should not have to wait for 12 months to be accepted for fuel allowance; if persons who are on illness benefit will be included; and if she will reconsider the application criteria for the fuel allowance and the latitude in same given the ongoing fuel crisis in Ireland. [15079/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

I would like to ask the Minister if she will reconsider the criteria for the fuel allowance and allow some latitude in the application criteria for the allowance whereby, for example, persons who apply for the jobseeker’s or supplementary welfare allowance should not have to wait for 12 months to be accepted for fuel allowance; if persons who are on illness benefit will be included; and if she will reconsider the application criteria for the fuel allowance and the latitude in same given the ongoing fuel crisis in Ireland.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

Fuel allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of the fact that they have a long-term financial dependence on a social welfare payment for all or most of their income.  It is not paid to people in receipt of illness benefit who have an attachment to the labour market and who are in receipt of short-term welfare supports. Fuel allowance can only be paid if the qualifying criteria as outlined in the scheme guidelines are met. It cannot be paid on a discretionary basis. 

As part of budget 2022, I announced a number of expansions to the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance payment. The weekly means threshold for the fuel allowance scheme was increased by €20 to €120 above the appropriate rate of contributory State pension, representing a 20% increase in the threshold which enables more people to qualify for this support. The €120 allowable means limit is significantly more than the €33 weekly rate of fuel allowance. With effect from September 2022, the qualifying period for jobseeker's and supplementary welfare allowance recipients to be in a position to access the fuel allowance payment will be reduced from 15 to 12 months. The Government has, therefore, implemented significant expansions in the fuel allowance scheme through budget 2022. Any decision to further expand the qualifying criteria of the fuel allowance payment in the manner outlined by the Deputy would have significant cost implications for the scheme and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources. 

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, one-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources and this may include exceptional heating costs.  Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

I thank the Minister. She said that the fuel allowance is paid to many pensioners. I know from my clinics - as I am sure does the Minister and every other Deputy present - that there are many pensioners to whom it is not paid because they are €1 or €2 above the eligibility criteria. That is unfair. In one case, a lady in west Cork who has cancer and is in receipt of illness benefit cannot afford to heat her home. It is hard to believe that in this day and age a woman who is on illness benefit because of her illness cannot heat her home. As I said, many of the pensioners who have visited me at my clinic are slightly above the threshold. Surely, there must be some latitude for those who as we speak are sitting in cold homes. Most of these people are elderly and some of them are very ill. Many of them are paying mortgages, rent and loans. Nothing is taken into account other than income. In many cases, their outgoings far exceed their income. I would appreciate it if there could be some understanding of that.

As I said, in this year's budget I increased the means threshold by €20 to €120 above the appropriate contributory State pension. That has benefited more people. More than 400,000 families benefit from the fuel allowance. There will always be people who, unfortunately, fall each side of the criteria. Those in need can seek assistance from their local community welfare officers. They are there to help people who are in difficulty by way of the essential needs payment or the urgent needs payment. People can seek that assistance. Anybody who is experiencing difficulty should seek the assistance of the local community welfare officer.

Everybody should welcome the increase in the threshold. I welcome it. It should be remembered that last week the cost of a bag of coal increased to €7. Most people can no longer afford it. The same applies in respect of home heating oil. We have a crisis in this country regarding the price of fuel. People are turning to the fuel allowance as the only option of being able to heat their homes. Sadly, it is not available to them. The criteria have to change and people's expenses have to be taken into account. I plead with the Minister to take a look at that.

While I have the floor, I would also like to raise with her, in her capacity as Minister with responsibility for rural affairs, the issue of Dursey Island. We are nine days away from no transport on that island. That is a sad situation for the people on the island, in particular the families who have had cattle there since 1969. I have been pleading on this issue with her. She has been pointing the finger at the council and the council has been pointing the finger at her. The people of Dursey Island are falling in the middle. It is scandalous. It is a big issue for us, in particular for me. While I will raise it next week in the House, I would appreciate it if the Minister could comment on the matter this evening.

We have increased the fuel allowance. Last year, the fuel allowance was €784. This year, it is €1,049. When one adds to that the €200 energy credit, there has been a 60% increase in the fuel allowance in comparison with last year. I understand that things are not easy for people. The Government is doing everything it can to try to assist, but it cannot cover all of these costs that are an issue not only in Ireland but across the globe. We know the challenges we are facing because of the war in Ukraine. It must be remembered that we have just come out of Brexit and a pandemic. These issues have been compounded. I know it is not easy for people. I encourage them to seek assistance from their local community welfare officers. The sum of €42 million was paid out by them last year. There is no cap on that assistance. There is money available.

With the indulgence of the Acting Chairman, I might respond to the Deputy's question on Dursey Island. I understand the difficulties around Dursey Island. I have not received one proposal from Cork County Council. I have written to the council, which ceased the cable car service to and from the island owing to difficulties with it, and asked that it come back to me with proposals. The ball is in the court of council. As I said, it has not come to me with one proposal. I have written to the council again seeking its proposals and its engagement with my officials. I hope it will do that.

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