Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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626. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the eligibility criteria will be extended for fuel allowance to include those in receipt of disablement benefit and for persons over 70 years of age in receipt of social protection payments; if she will discuss same with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in advance of the next budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48160/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €630 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €227 million in 2018. 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.

My Department also pays an electricity or gas allowance under the house hold benefits scheme at an estimated cost of €182 million in 2018. Household benefit applicants aged 70 or over do not have to satisfy the household composition criteria or undergo a means test.

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. Disablement benefit is not included among those payments, as it is not means-tested and it can be paid to people in full time employment. Allowing all persons over 70 years of age in receipt of social protection payments regardless of means to receive the fuel allowance would also fundamentally change the nature of the scheme and add significantly to its cost.

Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance scheme to include people who are in receipt of disablement benefit and for all people age over 70 who do not satisfy the means test would require considerable extra funding for the fuel allowance schemeand would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context. The appropriate levels of welfare support including eligibility for fuel allowance will be considered by the Government during budget negotiations, with due regard to the available resources.

In 2016 the Government launched a comprehensive Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty following extensive public consultation. This Strategy is spearheaded by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. It sets out the Government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable households from energy poverty through a combination of supports, investment in schemes to improve energy efficiency, and energy efficiency awareness initiatives. One of the best ways to tackle fuel poverty in the long term is to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling through proper building and household insulation. The Warmer Homes Scheme, administered by Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland, is designed to do that.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.