Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way it is intended to address the issue of hardship caused to many persons throughout the country arising from the imposition of the carbon tax; the extent to which any effective evaluation as to its impact on the population has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44356/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social Protection already assists low income households with heating costs through their basic payments, through the fuel allowance scheme and through the household benefits package of electricity and gas allowances. These schemes have been improved significantly in recent years.

The fuel allowance is paid for 32 weeks each year from end September to early May arising from an increase in the duration of the payment period by 2 weeks in Budget 2009. In the 2010/2011 heating season it is estimated that over 350,000 recipients will benefit from the allowance at a cost of over €239 million.

There are also 380,000 households, mainly older persons and persons with disabilities, in receipt of the household benefits package which provides up to 2,400 electricity units per annum (or the gas equivalent) over the year. It is estimated that 140,000 of these households are receiving both the fuel allowance and the electricity/gas allowance under the household benefits package to assist with heating and other energy requirements. The electricity and gas allowances under the household benefit package cost €184 million in 2009, with €225.8 million provided in 2010. In addition, I have recently announced that the electricity allowance has been increased with effect from 1 October 2010 to cover the cost of the Public Service Obligation levy on domestic electricity, which will increase the annual cost of the scheme by €12.6 million.

In addition to the basic welfare payments, household benefits and fuel allowance payments, the Department also provides funding to the Community Welfare Service to assist people with special heating needs. CWOs can pay a heating supplement to people in certain circumstances with specific heating needs due to infirmity or a particular medical condition. They can also make exceptional needs payments to people who do not have enough money to meet their heating costs. €90m has been provided for all exceptional needs payments in 2010. Expenditure for 2009 is estimated at over €77m. Approximately 16,000 claims at a cost of €4.2m were paid in respect of heating related needs under the Exceptional Needs Payment Scheme in 2009.

The Government is also committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of fuel poverty through investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock and energy efficiency awareness initiatives such as the Keep Well and Warm booklet and accompanying associated website. Some 150,000 copies of the booklet have been distributed to date in the last couple of years. The Warmer Homes Scheme administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is the primary mechanism for alleviating the key underlying cause of energy poverty – that of thermal inefficiency of houses. Over 19,000 low-income houses were retrofitted in 2009 with a target of a further 22,500 in 2010.

In his Carbon Budget Statement, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, outlined details of €130 million in funding for insulation, €76 million of which will be used to assist low income families.

The significant income support measures already in place and the Government's commitment to schemes such as the warmer homes scheme and the local authority insulation scheme are concrete actions currently being taken to address fuel poverty.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has overarching responsibility for the energy portfolio and has convened an Inter- Departmental/Agency Group on Affordable Energy to coordinate and drive Government policy in this area. They were tasked with devising an Energy Affordability Strategy. This strategy will set out existing and future approaches to addressing energy affordability.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44425/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on the 26th August 2010 from the person in question. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors who found that her child was not medically eligible for DCA.

A letter issued to the person in question on the 5th October 2010 where she was advised of the decision to refuse DCA. In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant may submit additional information and/or ask for the case to be reviewed or may appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.

In this case the applicant submitted an appeal to the Appeals Office together with additional medical information. As part of the appeal process, the new medical information provided will be reviewed by a Medical Assessor and if the child is now considered eligible for DCA, the claim will be put into payment immediately. If the child is still not considered eligible for DCA, the file will be submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office for decision.