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. Under the scheme a fuel allowance of €9.00 per week is paid to eligible households during a 29 week winter heating period from the end of October to mid-April each year. An additional €3.90 per week is payable in the designated urban smokeless fuel zones. About 274,000 households receive a fuel allowance, at an expected cost of €85.4 million this year. In addition over 300,000 pensioners 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, at an overall cost of €108.8 million in 2005. There is also a facility available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs.

Pensioners and other social welfare groups have received significant increases in their welfare payment rates this year and in recent years. This has improved their income situation considerably in real terms relative to solid fuel cost increases and to price inflation generally. These higher rates of primary payments are payable for a full 52 weeks of the year. I am currently examining options for additional support to social welfare customers in preparation for the budget in December. An extension of the fuel allowance scheme duration at the end of the season is one such option, though this would have very significant cost implications and would have to be considered along with other social welfare priorities in the context of the budget. In the short term I have requested community welfare officers to deal sympathetically with any hardship cases that come to their attention.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the fuel allowance has been withdrawn from a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27065/05]

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 and who are unable to meet the cost of their heating needs during the winter season from October to April. Residents of local authority accommodation where central heating is provided at a subsidised level are not currently eligible for the fuel allowance. In a recent review carried out by my Department, it emerged that the person concerned is residing in accommodation where subsidised heating is provided by Dublin City Council, and is therefore not currently entitled to the allowance.