Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputies for a fine debate. I had the pleasure of hearing all of it and greatly appreciate the contributions made. There is much expert advice available in the social welfare area and much research has been done, but it is particularly interesting to listen to Deputies who have people come to their clinics week in and out with real on-the-ground problems.

I have taken careful note of what Deputies have said, something I believe necessary. We are all at the coalface. I hold a clinic also and people come to me with their bits of paper from my Department to show me the replies they have received and the details of the schemes. This is not a platitude. I mean it sincerely that the experiences Deputies have on the ground in the welfare area are critical to the job I am trying to do. I acknowledge that and thank Deputies for sharing their experience.

As Deputy Gregory is in the House I will address the matter he just raised. I will review the situation and have a close look at the issue — I had a meeting on the matter in the past few days.

Reviews take place regularly in the Department. An area is selected every so often and all applicants for the scheme in question are examined to see if there is any duplication or overlap. The reviewers came across 237 individuals in receipt of the fuel allowance who were also in the subsidised——

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