Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

Whatever about the long term, what will the Minister do in ten days when poor families lose the fuel allowance and are faced with a huge increase in the cost of home heating oil? It is cold comfort for those people when the Minister says he is aware of the challenge and that there is a group working on the issue. That is not acceptable. A scheme was announced by the Government in December's budget. The Minister knew then that the carbon levy was coming in on 1 May and that the fuel allowance was being cut at the end of April. What will he do for those families in ten days' time?

The Minister must come up with a scheme. Does he realise that the cost of home heating oil increased by 38% last year and by 5% in the last month alone? The Minister has prided himself on being the voice of rural Ireland. Many low income families in rural Ireland are particularly dependent on home heating oil. Given the huge increases in the cost of such oil in the last year and the fact that many low income families will be hit with this double whammy in ten days, will the Minister do anything to relieve their situation? If he will not do anything, then he is dreadfully out of touch with what is happening to poor families.

See this speech in context