Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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262. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered broadening the fuel allowance qualifying conditions to include those partaking in the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48787/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. 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.

If a participant on a Community Employment (CE) scheme was in receipt of fuel allowance prior to going on the scheme, they can continue to receive the fuel allowance payment while participating on the scheme once they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.

If the CE participant was not in receipt of the fuel allowance payment prior to going on the CE scheme they may still apply for and qualify for fuel allowance in the following circumstances.

- If the CE scheme participant was in receipt of a long-term qualifying payment prior to going on the CE scheme this will allow them to satisfy the qualifying payment element. However, all other qualifying conditions of fuel allowance must also be satisfied.

- Where the CE scheme participant has an established underlying entitlement to fuel allowance but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household was receiving the payment, it is open to the CE scheme participant to apply for fuel allowance if these circumstances change, e.g., where the fuel allowance recipient leaves the address.

Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance for other people participating on a CE scheme would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the household income for a retired married couple with regard to eligibility for the fuel allowance; and the way bank savings are calculated in this regard. [48889/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. 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 criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. All recipients of non-contributory payments are accepted as satisfying the means-test for fuel. People who are in receipt of a qualifying contributory payment must also satisfy a means test.

An applicant and members of his/her household may have a combined assessable income of up to €100.00 a week above the appropriate maximum State Pension (Contributory) rate. The following assessable income limits therefore apply for a married couple

- €513.70 for a couple, where the qualified spouse / civil partner /cohabitant is under 66 years (€100 plus €248.30 plus €165.40).

- €570.80 for a couple, where the qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant is 66 years or over (€100 plus €248.30 plus €222.50).

Extra allowances are available in the case of applicants in receipt of the Over 80 Allowance, an Increase Qualified Child (IQC) rate and where they are in receipt of the Increase for Living on a Specified Island.

The standard capital means assessment rules for State Pension (Contributory) purposes apply to Fuel Allowance applicants who have capital. Income from capital, for example, property, savings and investments, is included in the mean test. An applicant may have capital/savings of up to €57,999 (i.e., equivalent to €100.00 a week under capital means assessment rules) in addition to income of up to the maximum State Pension rate, and still be eligible to receive a Fuel Allowance.

The Formula for calculating Means is as follows:-

- First €20,000- no means

- Next €10,000- €1 per €1000

- Next €10,000- €2 per €1000

- Excess of €40,000- €4 per €1000

Any extension of the fuel allowance qualifying criteria, such as increasing the allowable means for fuel allowance purposes can only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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264. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there is any flexibility in cases in which a person (details supplied) has the required number of PRSI contributions but not at the necessary class for the invalidity pension given that through no fault of the person's own, the person had paid a WOPS stamp during their early years at work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48941/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last or second last complete contribution year before the relevant date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E ,H & S contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.

The qualifying PRSI contribution is laid down in social welfare legislation and must be satisfied in order to be considered eligible for IP.

A claim for IP was received from the person concerned on 23 July 2021. She was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. Specifically, she does not have the required 260 contributions paid since entering social insurance. The WOPS credits on her record are not reckonable for Invalidity Pension purposes. She was notified on 27 July 2021 of the decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal. Following enquires made to the Department's record PRSI section and a review of her application, the original decision to refuse her claim remained unchanged. The person concerned has appealed the decision of the 27 July 2021 and her file was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 03 September 2021 for determination by an Appeals Officer.

A person who has an insufficient PRSI contribution record to qualify for a social insurance benefit/pension may apply for the appropriate means-tested social assistance scheme. Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.