Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

They are the people best placed on the ground and who know. Providing an additional week's benefit has been suggested. However, that would be paid in May which would not be much good to people now. Much of the money invested in fuel expenditure by the Department is done so through household benefits and that is not targeted. Admittedly it goes to everybody over the age of 70 and older people have greater demands, but they all do not have the same financial needs.

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