Ray Butler (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the delegates for their attendance and for making their presentation. I agree with them that budgets should be poverty-proofed. Unfortunately, this was not done in the last budget but I will definitely push for it to be done in the next budget.

Fuel poverty is a very big issue which is of concern to me. There is no regulation of the fuel industry. The four major fuel suppliers can put the prices up or down as they wish. I have argued this point on local radio and at national level. I also asked the Minister for Finance to consider reducing VAT on fuel to alleviate the suffering of people paying high fuel costs in the hard winter months. I asked if he could reduce the VAT for three to four months of the year. He replied that Europe was looking for a higher rate to cover the carbon footprint. Home heating oil currently costs €1.02 a litre. Young families are facing poverty trying to heat their homes. I will be pushing the Minister again on this issue. I will ask him for a VAT reduction during the three to four hard winter months in order to alleviate some of the pressure on people. I ask for the views of the delegates on the fuel issue.

On the issue of food aid and the use of intervention food I agree that it should not be just a parcel of food and no more. It needs to be long-term aid. I agree with Senator Moloney that a system of distribution needs to be established. We all saw the long queues in the 1980s and 1990s outside the St. Vincent de Paul offices or the local parish hall as people waited for their food parcels. It is very degrading. I agree with the suggestion of starter packs. Many people are in financial difficulties as a result of the recession. The system of social protection is very confusing. People do not know what stamp they are paying. It is very difficult to know what are one's entitlements because the information is not easily accessible. I would like to see the Department of Social Protection giving information on the grades of stamps so that people will be familiar with their entitlements.

That could be included in letters issued by the Department of Social Protection to inform people about that to which they are entitled.

Housing is a major issue. Legislation in this regard is before the Oireachtas at present. What are our guests thoughts in respect of local authority housing? In certain cases, Mystic Meg would not be able to tell someone his or her position on a local authority waiting list. The system is so confusing that one would need a crystal ball in order to discover one's position on the list. There is a need to examine the position in this regard.

I am currently fighting on behalf of one group of people who have suffered a great deal, namely, the self-employed. Since the demise of the Celtic tiger, many of these people have been living in poverty. This is because they were entitled to nothing from the State. There is no doubt that assistance is required for the self-employed.