Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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144. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) cannot receive the fuel allowance; if he will grant the fuel allowance to the person based on the history; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31249/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned has been on a Community Employment (CE) scheme since 2012. She was not in receipt of Fuel Allowance while on her Jobseeker’s payment prior to going on CE.

The client concerned recently applied for a Fuel Allowance for the 2016/2017 fuel season. In accordance with the operational guidelines for the CE scheme, a client not in receipt of a Fuel Allowance prior to commencing on the CE scheme cannot accrue entitlement while on the scheme. Furthermore, where a couple have separated and wish to have their payment split, the primary customer has entitlement to the Fuel Allowance unless the primary customer requests the Department to pay it to their respective spouse. This did not happen in this instance.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.