John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 117: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has plans to change the dual eligibility rule for persons in receipt of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6100/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit.

The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one weekly social welfare payment is payable to an individual. This ensures that resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one person. Of course, persons qualifying for two social welfare payments always receive the higher payment to which they are entitled.

As part of the improvements introduced in the last budget, all persons providing full time care and attention will be entitled to a respite care grant of €1,000 in June, regardless of their means. The persons in receipt of other social welfare payments, excluding unemployment assistance and benefit, will be entitled to this payment subject to meeting the full time care condition. This arrangement is being introduced to acknowledge the needs of carers especially in relation to respite.

Government policy is strongly in favour of supporting care in the community and enabling people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The types of services which recognise the value of the caring ethos and which provide real support and practical assistance to the people involved will continue to be developed and all allowances and systems of support will be kept under regular review.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 118: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of recipients of the fuel allowance; if he has satisfied himself that the allowance is keeping up with fuel costs in this sector; if he plans to extend the scheme during particularly long cold weather; and his proposals to extend the allowance. [5907/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or health board payments towards meeting their additional heating needs during the winter season. The season was extended from 26 weeks to 29 weeks in 2001 and now covers the period October to April each year.

Under the scheme a fuel allowance of €9.00 per week is paid to eligible households during this 29 week winter heating period, with an additional €3.90 per week being paid in the designated smokeless fuel zones, bringing the total amount in those areas to €12.90 per week. I expect some 274,000 households to benefit under the fuel allowance scheme in 2005 at a cost of some €85 million. In addition over 300,000 pensioner and other households qualify for electricity or gas allowances through the household benefits package, payable towards their heating, light and cooking costs throughout the year.

There is also a facility available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs. An application for a heating supplement may be made by contacting a community welfare officer at any local health centre.

An important objective of this Government is to provide real increases in payment rates each year for people who depend on social welfare income support, to ensure that they can experience some real improvement in their quality of life, including provision of adequate heating. Pensioners and other groups have received significant increases in their primary social welfare payment rates this year and in recent years. This has improved their income situation considerably in real terms relative to fuel cost increases and to price inflation generally. It is also more beneficial to the individual as primary payments are payable for a full 52 weeks of the year.

It should be pointed out that both increasing the rate of fuel allowance and providing modified allowance rates for an extended period each year would have significant cost implications. However, I intend to keep the adequacy of the fuel allowance and the question of extending it under regular review.

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 122: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his plans to address the issue of fuel poverty, particularly among the elderly; if he has considered recent research which showed that up to 2,000 pensioners are at risk of premature death annually because of inability to heat their homes adequately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5891/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The term "fuel poverty" has been described as the inability to afford adequate warmth in a home, or the inability to achieve adequate warmth because of energy inefficiency in the home.

My Department provides a range of income assistance to householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide fully for their own heating needs. A fuel allowance of €9.00 per week is payable to eligible households with an additional €3.90 per week being paid in designated urban smokeless fuel zones, bringing the total amount in those areas to €12.90 per week. These payments are made for the duration of the fuel season which lasts for 29 weeks from the end of September to mid-April each year.

The fuel allowances represent a contribution towards a person's additional heating expenses during the winter season. In addition many households also qualify for electricity and gas allowances through the household benefits package. Expenditure by my Department on fuel, electricity and gas allowances for social welfare and other elderly clients is expected to be nearly €195 million this year.

An important objective of this Government is to provide real increases in payment rates each year for people who depend on social welfare income support, to ensure that they can experience real improvement in their quality of life, including provision of adequate heating. In this regard, the significant increases in primary social welfare payment rates for pensioners and other groups this year and in recent years have improved their income situation considerably in real terms relative to fuel cost increases and to price inflation generally.

I am aware of the research report, Fuel Poverty and Policy in Ireland and the European Union, published in 2003 by the policy institute at Trinity College, Dublin in conjunction with the Combat Poverty Agency. This report indicated that the estimated incidence of fuel poverty in Ireland, while not the highest overall of the countries assessed, was higher than in other northern European countries and that the problem is concentrated in certain social groups, particularly the elderly or those with children and who were living in social housing where insulation and energy efficiency standards were lower than average.

As acknowledged in the report, the primary solution lies in improving the energy efficiency of housing, along with improving the income situation of people who might otherwise experience fuel poverty. Local authorities throughout the country are responsible for undertaking programmes of improvement to the existing social housing stock which help conditions generally for tenants, including draught insulation and energy efficiency. All new social housing is being built to modern energy efficiency standards.

I am aware also that Sustainable Energy Ireland and the Combat Poverty Agency are well advanced with plans to carry out an action research project in designated geographical areas this year, where eligible persons will have an energy audit carried out in their homes.

The energy audit will include energy advice to the household as well as remedial work such as the installation of roof space insulation, draft proofing, fitting of hot water cylinder lagging jackets and energy efficient light bulbs. The project will evaluate the effects of the measures undertaken from the point of view of improved comfort levels, health effects as well as changes in fuel costs and carbon dioxide emissions. The project is due to commence shortly and will involve monitoring the effect of individual remedial works carried out. My Department will keep the results of this project under careful review to assist with the development of future income support policy in this area.