Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful to the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to contribute. If one scheme worked in recent years, it was the rules and regulations the Minister introduced in respect of the fuel allowance scheme this year. Thousands of people aged over 70 who worked all their lives and had never qualified for fuel allowance before got into that scheme. If I was to ask the Minister to do one thing, it would be to consider bringing the age limit down in next year's budget, from 70 to 69, to let more people into the scheme. That is a great scheme, which has benefited the country.

I was listening to Myles Dungan the other night. A hundred years ago, the people of rural Ireland had to bring turf into Dublin to help families to heat their homes. Now we cannot cut turf in this country.

The day might come again when we need to cut turf to help out everybody in the country.

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