John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 40:

In page 13, after line 38, to insert the following new section:“Report on Fuel Poverty in Ireland

17. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the impact of fuel poverty in Ireland, providing a clear insight into the numbers affected, and costed options, with reference to the fuel allowance, as to how the issue can be tackled and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection within six months of enactment of this Bill.”.

This amendment also seeks a report, as the Minister will be delighted to hear. Unfortunately, we cannot propose changes which would have a financial impact on the Exchequer, but we know the issue of fuel poverty is very real and faces many people in our society. A conservative estimate shows that approximately 28% of the population are currently facing fuel poverty. Ireland has the highest level of excess winter fatalities in Europe. Last year it was in the region of 2,800, which is a huge figure. More than 170,000 of our older citizens rely on the fuel allowance. Obviously fuel poverty does not only impact on our older citizens and also impacts on people right across the board, but older citizens are certainly more susceptible to the cold. We all hear horror stories of our older citizens having to sit in public buildings such as libraries and council offices during the winter months to keep warm. We all know of the changes which were made to the fuel allowance which cut the period for which the allowance was payable from 32 weeks down to 25. It is back up to 27 weeks now, which is a small but welcome step in the right direction, but the period is still five weeks shorter than it was in 2012 when the cuts were first made. It is a real issue and a very serious one which faces our citizens right across the board.

It is important that a full report is carried out on the impact, good, bad or indifferent, of cuts implemented to the fuel allowance and on how they affect our older citizens. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge and welcome the changes the Minister introduced in respect of the payment of the fuel allowance at this stage. I put forward a proposal for a bulk payment during the debate on the Social Welfare Bill 2016, a proposal which was being pushed by organisations such as Age Action Ireland among others. That has now been implemented and there are two payments a year. That is a welcome step. I hear good reports from people on that measure. We are still a long way away from the provisions before the 2012 cuts which, as I have said, are having a real detrimental impact. Some 28% of our population are facing fuel poverty.

That percentage is growing so we need a report on that issue. I will be pressing the amendment.