Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the value of the national fuel supplement and the smokeless fuel premium in each year since 1997. [36212/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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A fuel allowance of €9 per week is payable to eligible households during a 29 week winter heating period from end-September to mid-April each year. An additional €3.90 per week is payable in the designated urban smokeless fuel zones. Approximately 274,000 households receive a fuel allowance, and some 123,000 of these also receive a smokeless fuel supplement. The scheme is expected to cost €85.4 million this year. Expenditure and numbers qualifying for the fuel allowance scheme from 1997 to 2005 are set out in the following table.

In addition to fuel allowance, over 300,000 pensioners and other households qualify for electricity or gas allowances through the household benefits package, payable toward 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 who have special heating needs. Numbers receiving a standard fuel allowance, smokeless fuel supplement and annual expenditure on the scheme.