Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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618. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the stay warm savings scheme will be rolled out to locations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16267/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Stay Warm savings scheme is run by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. It makes €5 stamps available to the public through retail outlets. These stamps are collected in a savings booklet which can then be used to pay for all or part of a home heating bill. The aim of the scheme is to offer a convenient solution that helps householders to save towards the cost of their home heating bills.

My Department has committed to funding the scheme on a pilot basis for two years. The scheme is currently operating in parts of Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. In total, 70 retailers are selling stamps and promoting the scheme, with 55 fuel suppliers accepting the stamps as part or full payment for all deliveries. In Dublin, the stamps are available in the Finglas and Cabra areas, with 20 retailers and 12 fuel suppliers participating in the scheme in those areas. As the two year pilot period will draw to a close in the middle of this year, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul have informed me that they have no plans to expand the geographical areas where the stamps are offered.

At the conclusion of the two year pilot, an evaluation will be undertaken which will attempt to determine the impact the scheme has had. Similar savings schemes have been operated for a number of years in Northern Ireland where they have been found to increase households savings performance.