Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Which of the committees has dealt with the issue of the carbon levy? In particular, has that committee addressed the promise the Government made that it would introduce a special fuel allowance to assist pensioners and the 300,000-plus families on low incomes who were promised at the time of the budget that an allowance would be introduced before the carbon levy was introduced? The carbon levy on heating oil is being introduced on Saturday which mean an increase of 9% in the price of heating oil. The Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, yesterday issued a statement saying he will do something about an allowance next October. The problem is a large number of pensioners, particularly elderly people, will have to buy heating oil between now and October and they were promised there would be an allowance.

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