Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have only two minutes in which to bring a matter to the attention of the Minister of State. Not all people from vulnerable communities have availed of the €200 electricity credit that was promised in last year's budget and was meant to relieve families. Again, the most vulnerable in society who share one connection happen to be members of the Traveller community. Twenty-two families share six meter point reference numbers, or MPRNs, in Sligo. Nine families at another site share a single MPRN and therefore received just €22 each in respect of their electricity costs, even though the payment is meant to be €200 per family. The National Traveller Money Advice & Budgeting Service has written to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, seeking a meeting to resolve the issue. We were told that the local authority in Cork paid €200 out of the Traveller accommodation budget. While I welcome that, it should not be the case. We need Traveller accommodation money specifically for Traveller accommodation. When the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, said that he was going to spend money on Traveller accommodation before Christmas, we did not understand that it was going to be given for electricity. When we wrote to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, his reply told us to deal with the local authorities or the Residential Tenancies Board. Basically, when one lives on a halting site one cannot deal with these organisations. How can we reassure people that this will not happen with the next three electricity credits? The Government must protect the most vulnerable. The issue I have raised does not only concern members of the Traveller community but anybody who shares electricity. I would like to hear feedback on that from the Minister of State.