Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to be permitted finally to ask this question. There was much toing and froing in regard to it yesterday, with two separate letters being issued to me. The first indicated that the question could not be taken as a priority question, and the second indicated the question was not in order. It was only when I pointed out that my colleagues and I have already posed the same question three or four times that I was allowed to submit it.

I have absolutely no faith in the inter-agency group. The first time its members attended a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs three or four years ago was probably the worst joint committee meeting I have ever attended. All members were horrified at the lack of information the delegates were able to provide. They attended a later meeting and that was somewhat more useful. Nevertheless, the group has been meeting for some years but we are yet to see a report. When will it be published?

My question specifically asks what will be done to offset the increase in fuel costs for low-income families arising from the introduction of the carbon tax. The Minister studiously avoided that point in his reply. The fuel allowance scheme, as it is currently comprised, was utterly unresponsive to people's emergency needs during the recent harsh winter. Is the group taking that aspect into consideration? Will the Minister deal with the specific question of how it is proposed to offset the increase in fuel costs for low-income families as a consequence of the carbon tax?

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