John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Heather Humphreys. The premise of this matter is to call for the removal of the disablement benefit as a disqualifying payment for the winter fuel allowance for those persons who meet the income means test, which is currently set at €100 above the State contributory pension plus the living alone and dependant's allowance. This will rise to €120 from 1 January as a result of the decisions made in budget 2022 by the Government, and this is very welcome.

I admit I was not aware of the disablement benefit payment until this matter was brought to my attention by two separate constituents in County Waterford over the past 12 months. The payment is administered under the occupational injuries scheme and it can be paid if a person suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty because of an accident at work, an accident travelling directly to or from work or by getting a prescribed disease contracted at work. Payment is only made where the level of disablement following the accident or disease is at 15% or more. Where the level of disablement is assessed at 20% or more, a benefit is paid weekly or every four weeks.

My issue is that disablement benefit is classified as a disqualifying payment for the winter fuel allowance along with other social insurance payments like the jobseeker's benefit, illness benefit and maternity benefit. If a person is in receipt of a 40% weekly disablement payment of €93.60, which is below the €100 threshold for additional income, that person is still automatically excluded from the winter fuel allowance scheme. This is unjust and wrong, and it is probably on account of the payment being classified as a benefit instead of an allowance. The net result is we are saying that if a person has a small private pension of less than €100 per week on top of the contributory pension and living alone allowance, the State will support him or her with rising fuel costs to the tune of €924 per year via the winter fuel allowance. If a former worker, however, was unfortunate enough to be in a workplace accident or pick up a respiratory illness due to working with asbestos, for example, the State will not be in a position to support him or her with rising heating costs. This is an anomaly that must be addressed and I ask the Minister of State to raise this query with the Department so that it can be addressed without delay.

To be clear, I am not asking for those in receipt of disablement benefit who are above the means test limit to be included. I am merely asking that those in receipt of the payment who are below the income means test are factored in. Currently, this would mean that those in receipt of the 40%, 30% and or the 20% disablement benefit payment would qualify, and from January people in receipt of the 50% disablement benefit would also be able to avail of the fuel allowance. It is only right and proper that the Government consider this move. I certainly believe it to be a reasonable proposal and I would not bring it the floor of the Seanad if I did not see it as reasonable. I certainly hope it can be looked at favourably.