Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I am satisfied that there are sufficient supports in place to help people with their electricity, fuel and other utility bills. Energy poverty is a factor of income, energy prices and the thermal efficiency of the home. The most cost-effective means of protecting households from energy poverty is to improve the thermal efficiency of the home. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has administered an energy efficiency programme for privately-owned low-income households, the warmer homes initiative, since 2001. More than 65,000 such households have benefited to date, with a further 15,000 expected to receive energy efficiency upgrades this year. A similar upgrade programme is also in place for social housing with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government supporting local authorities to improve the energy efficiency of older social housing stock.

On income supports, my Department assists low-income households with their energy costs through their basic payments, through the means-tested fuel allowance scheme and the household benefits package. The fuel allowance of €20 per week is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare and unable to provide for their own heating needs. It is paid for 32 weeks, from late September to the end of April. The household benefits package, comprising telephone and electricity or gas allowance, as well a free television licence, is available for all those aged 70 or over; those in receipt of carers allowance; those who are 66 to 70 and in receipt of a qualifying payment and generally living alone; and those aged under 66 and in receipt of a disability or caring related payment.

Under the Department's supplementary welfare allowance scheme, a special heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs because of ill health or infirmity. In addition, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of his or her own resources.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Unfortunately, because of commitments made by the previous Government it was necessary last week that the Government approve changes to the fuel, telephone and electricity or gas allowances which will generate savings of €17 million in 2011 and €65 million annually. While this Government has had to implement these measures, the House should be aware that these savings were provided for last December in budget 2011 but were not specified or announced by the Government at that time. While we want to protect the basic social welfare payments which have very positive economic and social effects, regrettably there is an ongoing necessity to achieve savings due to our commitments with the IMF, EU and ECB Troika.

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