Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will consider extending the fuel allowance to mid-May; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17166/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or Health Service Executive 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 from end September to mid-April each year.

Under the scheme, a fuel allowance of €9 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 €85.4 million. In addition, more than 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.

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 these higher rates of primary payments are payable for a full 52 weeks of the year. I have no plans at present to extend the duration of the fuel allowance period into May each year, as this would have significant cost implications and could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the context of other priorities.