Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

To continue on the subject of children, one of the worst statistics we are presented with at pre-budget meetings, bearing in mind I am on the Committee on Budgetary Oversight, is that almost 6,000 young people under 26 have been on jobseeker's allowance for more than a year. The National Youth Council of Ireland, in its pre-budgetary submission, A Fair Share for Young People and Youth Work, wants the Minister to start moving this year to reverse the low levels of support for the young people in question, who may be desperately seeking a job.

We are coming very close to the fuel allowance period, which I believe will start at the end of this week.

Has the Minister been consulted? The Taoiseach makes announcements in New York in regard to carbon taxation and it looks as if we will have a massive green tax increase in this budget in a couple of weeks. Has the Minister been consulted about whether there is going to be a universal payment, whether it is going to be tax and dividend, or whether we are going to take the hypothecated tax and the green tax and target it at the most vulnerable people, in particular those who are in fuel poverty? We know a very significant proportion of our people, perhaps 15%, are in fuel poverty. What input has the Minister had into that, given it is such a huge problem?

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