Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

If that is what Fianna Fáil was thinking, the Green Party Deputies will be able to tell them that they did not achieve the objective.

The paltry €4 increase in the fuel allowance was another disappointing aspect of the budget. Everyone expected the Minister for Finance to grant a fuel allowance of at least €25. Despite the increases in fuel costs, this allowance is still means tested. The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, which does important work in representing senior citizens and State pensioners, campaigned for a minimum increase of €25. The Minister for Finance, however, has granted only a miserable increase of €4. Moreover, he did not enlighten us as to the quantity of electricity to which pensioners and others on benefit will be eligible this winter. Despite the recent reductions in the projected increases in the cost of electricity and gas, this remains a serious issue. Gas prices increased by 34% three months ago and there is a forthcoming electricity price increase of 13%. The last two winters were among the coldest of recent decades and senior citizens and other persons on low incomes now face into another cold winter with the prospect of high energy costs.

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