Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael)
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33. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the income limit for applicants under the national fuel allowance scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33709/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The fuel allowance is a payment of €20 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to low income households. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The scheme is means tested and an applicant and members of his/her household may have a combined assessable income of up to €100.00 a week above the appropriate rate of State Pension Contributory (€230.30) and qualify for a payment. The weekly income limits are as follows:

(i) €330.30 for a single person under 80 years (€100 + €230.30);

(ii) €483.80 for a couple where the qualified spouse/civil partner/cohabitant is under 66 years (€100 + €230.30 + €153.30 - value of the increase for a qualified adult aged under 66);

(iii) €536.30 for a couple where the qualified spouse-civil partner-cohabitant is over 66 years (€100 + €230.30 + €206.30 - value of the increase for a qualified adult aged over 66).

In the case of applicants over 80 years of age an extra allowance of €10.00 is applied to the appropriate rate above.

The fuel allowance payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

The Guidelines for the Fuel Allowance Scheme are kept under review. However, any change in the qualifying criteria would have cost implications, and would have to be considered in the context of the Budgetary process. The Government will finalise its consideration of the Budget in the coming weeks and the outcome of this process will be announced on Budget Day.