Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I know only too well the impact the energy crisis is having on families and businesses across the country. Families who have never asked for help before have been coming to my clinics. There is a fear, and that is something on which we need to try to work.

Schools and many section 39 organisations have contacted me about funding, particularly in terms of the upkeep and what it will cost. Many day care services have contacted me. St. Clare's Hospitality Kitchen and other such groups really just want to know what the funding is and how they can apply for it. That is important. Real and urgent measures are needed to support those who need them most and to give us all the chance of meeting this challenge together as we did in the pandemic. That is so important. That is what I have been saying to the people to whom I have spoken.

A figure of €600 is to be paid in three instalments of €200. The first payment will be before Christmas. Again, communication is important. When we say Christmas, will that be early next month or mid-December? I know that we must wait for enactment. I urge the House not to delay the timeline for this. We need to get it through as soon as possible. There are also plans for two further instalments in the new year but again, I have been asked whether that will be January, February, March or late spring. Above all, people need to know what is happening. I emphasise to the Minister of State that communication to everyone will be absolutely critical.

I welcome the funding mechanism for Traveller families to receive a credit in addition to this amount, which is to be agreed with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. This was because using the MPRN as the identifier in the previous scheme resulted in a small number of households not being able to access the payment. A particular cohort since identified included approximately 1,000 Traveller households in a certain local authority's accommodation where the MPRN was registered to the local authority and supplied multiple households. Therefore, we need to make sure we get the information out there in order to best reach those who most need supports.

That is so important.

It is important for tenants to know there is an RTB mediation service available to them. This is concerned with arrangements tenants may have with their landlords whereby the landlord may hold the MPRN. If the landlord does not pass on the payment then there is mediation with the RTB. I have spoken to a lot of people in my area of Carlow-Kilkenny about the rising costs. Some of them have gone to the social welfare services for support. I know the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has addressed this several times, but it is so important when people go for help, which is not easy as the Minister of State will know, that there are supports in place. When people apply for support with an oil fill, an electricity bill they cannot afford or whatever it is, the money should be there for them. We are in a totally different time and we need to support the most vulnerable in our community and let them know we are there to help them and that there are supports in place.

One lady rang my clinic yesterday - a lovely lady I have known for years - and she said she does not think she will put up any lights or have a tree for Christmas this year. She said she is too nervous to do so. I told her to wait and see and that there are supports in place. We do not want people going around at Christmas thinking they cannot turn on a few lights or turn on the light on a Christmas tree. Christmas is so important to all of us and it is a big family time for everyone. I told her to wait and see, that there are supports coming and that I would work to see how quickly we can get them through Government. It is crucial for people that information is there and that there is communication. In particular, when people go looking for supports they should be given as quickly as possible. Again, the €600 should be given out as soon as possible.

See this speech in context