Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I appreciate that line Ministers will be able to provide detailed information on these matters but I expected that they would have come to the Taoiseach's attention, at least in a general way, if they had been progressed. This would have enabled him to give an indication of the position in respect of them.

I am disappointed with the Taoiseach's reply on fuel poverty. He stated that alleviation measures for low income households will be part and parcel of the normal fuel allowance arrangements which apply from October to April. There was a commitment to introduce a separate measure to alleviate the additional costs which would be borne by low income households as a result of the increase in the price of home heating oil. That has not happened, however, and the Taoiseach is now stating they will have to wait until the normal fuel allowance is introduced at the end of the year. That is not satisfactory.

The Taoiseach made no mention of the legislation on corporate donations and whether it has come to his attention. On a more general point, which does not readily pertain to line Ministers, the Government made a commitment on the introduction of a legislative basis for a more open and transparent system for appointments to public bodies, including procedures for the advertising of vacancies, inviting applications from the public and creating panels of suitable people for appointment to various public bodies.

See this speech in context