Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We have ensured that income support for people on social welfare and pensions has risen well in excess of inflation, the figure for last year being between 8% and 12%. We were able to consider such increases to assist people. There have been changes to fuel allowances and so on, for example, by extending the period for which people are eligible for such supplementary schemes, in an effort to deal with fuel poverty. That includes what has been happening with community-based initiatives for the insulation of social housing, elderly people living alone, and disabled persons' grants. All those are efforts to ensure that those most vulnerable to fuel poverty receive the necessary assistance so that it is not a serious problem for them.

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