Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

I thank the Minister for his reply. I accept and acknowledge that there has been a substantial increase in expenditure, especially in specific areas of the social welfare system such as for pensioners. Nevertheless, how does the Minister and his officials explain that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul must do this work? The Society of St. Vincent de Paul's ultimate aim is to render itself redundant because it is no longer required. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul does its excellent work because it must. It takes up church gate collections and organises raffles throughout the country. How does the Minister explain that in a time of unprecedented wealth and economic activity, voluntary organisations such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul must spend €41 million annually and help 300,000 families in financial difficulties? Those families must have been let down by the State social support system or they would not find themselves in such dire straits, necessitating recourse to those great volunteers who do tremendous work at all hours of the day and night, visiting people to ensure they are not hungry and have heat.

Some €7.5 million of the emergency support was for families who had no food, no money and no resources, €4.6 million was for food and €3.1 million for fuel. Approximately €1 million was spent reconnecting families to gas and electricity supplies but fuel prices escalated and, though the Commission for Energy Regulation reduced the increases, the prices projected for the next few weeks will still significantly impact on people with fixed incomes. Despite the Minister increasing the fuel allowances it was certainly not enough. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul sought a further €6 to the additional €18 and an extension of the period in which they were provided.

Does the Minister agree that fuel poverty is still one of the greatest threats to the comfort of elderly people and many on fixed or low incomes? They find it exceedingly difficult to meet significant fuel price increases and to keep warm and be able to prepare hot food, which is vital for their health. A lot has been done but much more needs to be done to prevent the activity of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul being curtailed and its spending cut. The figure of €41 million relates to 2005 so the 2006 figures will be worse.

See this speech in context