Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who received the fuel allowance every year since its inception. [26298/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The national fuel allowance scheme was introduced in 1987 as a result of a Government decision to rationalise the Urban and National Fuel Schemes which existed at that time. The scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive payments, with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season.

The smokeless fuel allowance scheme was introduced in Dublin and the surrounding areas in October 1990, and extended later to other parts of the country, in response to smoke control regulations introduced by the Department of the Environment. This allowance is paid in addition to the fuel allowance in areas where the sale of bituminous fuel is banned.

The number of people who received the fuel allowance since 1987 is shown in the following tabular statement.