Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 9, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: "Report on the effectiveness and adequacy of the Fuel Allowance

18. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on the effectiveness, adequacy, coverage and eligibility of the Fuel Allowance Scheme in addressing the heating requirements of households experiencing energy poverty and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection within nine months of the passing of this Act.”.

I will speak briefly to this amendment. I appreciate what the Minister has said. During Committee Stage of a number of the most recent Social Welfare Bills, a number of Deputies, including from Sinn Féin, have brought forward similar amendments relating to the fuel allowance. I also appreciate that energy poverty falls under the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and that is fine. We are looking at the fuel allowance, which is a payment made by the Department of Social Protection and no other.

I appreciate that the Minister has mentioned a report dealing with eligibility and I will look at that. I did not know it had been published, so that is welcome. A report of the Department of Social Protection on the impact of the increases of the carbon tax on low-income households stated that low-income households will be disproportionately impacted and that steps need to be taken.

One of the steps we could take is looking at the adequacy and effectiveness of the fuel allowance payment. At the end of the day, the St. Vincent de Paul Society says 28% of the population is affected by energy poverty. In fairness to St. Vincent de Paul, it is at the coalface on this issue. In 2018, it spent more than €5 million helping families just with energy costs. That is a huge amount of money for a charity and voluntary organisation to give to people. St. Vincent de Paul has also made the point, which I highlighted earlier in relation to household debt, that a big part of household debt coming down the tracks is people owing money on utility bills. St. Vincent de Paul has pushed this and the amendment I have tabled comes from that organisation, which is looking for the Minister to take action on this. I agree with Deputy Bríd Smith that we need to look specifically at the fuel allowance payment. I ask the Minister to reconsider.

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