John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last week we had one of the most expansionary budgets in recent times, an €11 million cost-of-living budget with a combination of universal and targeted measures to help all citizens. I would like in the weeks ahead if we could have statements on social protection and have the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, before the House. We are all aware of the high-level, big-ticket items introduced, such as the €600 energy credit across three payments of €200, the increase in the threshold of the fuel allowance from €120 to €200 over and above the State pension and the introduction of a different regime for qualifying for the fuel allowance for those over 70, to €500 for a single pensioner and €1,000 for a pensioner couple.

A number of items have gone under the radar and not got attention. Perhaps people are not aware of them. One of those is an item I raised in this House under a Commencement matter this time last year with the Minister concerning disablement benefit and the fact that it is a disqualifying payment for the fuel allowance. It was brought to my attention by two widows in Waterford that because they were in receipt of a partial disablement benefit payment, they did not qualify for the fuel allowance, even though that allowance would be more beneficial to them. The Minister in the budget, though I have not seen it written or reported on anywhere, has changed the criteria to make sure disablement benefit is no longer a disqualifying payment for the fuel allowance, which will bring in a new cohort of people.

A number of such items have not got an airing thus far and it would be appropriate if the Minister was able to come to the House to discuss them in the time ahead.