Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

The only financial support available to those on low incomes to meet the cost of fuel and heating their homes is the fuel allowance. This payment by the Department of Social and Family Affairs is available to long-term social welfare recipients and is paid on a weekly basis. The onset of winter and ever increasing fuel costs will inflict hardship on the less well off in society. I seek an immediate and substantial increase in the fuel allowance. Fuel poverty is the result of poor energy efficiency of homes, low household incomes and high fuel prices. All those factors should be addressed to eliminate fuel poverty permanently.

I welcome our great success story but the Government has an opportunity in the budget to tweak and improve services. The Government parties introduced the largest increase ever in the old age pension, child benefit and one-parent family allowance. That was achieved through a caring, socialistic approach on the part of a Fianna Fáil Administration.