Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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160. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will establish the circumstances whereby a family (details supplied) in which a person was previously in receipt of a jobseeker's allowance are now worse off with the person in part-time employment in view of the fact fuel allowance for another family member has ceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39063/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that this lady was in receipt of free fuel allowance while her son was in receipt of jobseekers allowance. However, she no longer satisfies the criteria for receipt of this allowance.

Free fuel allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. It is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs.

A person may qualify for this allowance if they are getting disability allowance and they live alone or only with other people getting one of the qualifying payments who would also be eligible for a fuel allowance in their own right.

As this lady is not living alone and is no longer living with someone who is getting one of the qualifying payments, she does not qualify for a fuel allowance.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.