Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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46. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration will be given to an additional bonus fuel allowance payment given the dramatic increase in fuel prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14880/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs.  As part of the overall welfare budget package of €600m in increases secured for 2022, I increased the Fuel Allowance payment by €5 per week effective from Budget night.  I also increased the weekly income threshold for Fuel Allowance by €20 which enables more people to qualify for this support.

Further Government measures were recently announced to help mitigate the effects of rising energy costs.  As part of these measures totaling over half a billion euro, an additional lump sum payment of €125 was paid to all households in receipt of the fuel allowance payment.  It is expected that this additional lumpsum will cost an estimated €49 million. 

This payment in addition to the Budget increase will mean low-income households will see an increase of 41% this fuel allowance season compared to last season. 

The recently announced Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment is another key measure and will be paid in addition to the gas and electricity element of the HHB package to qualifying households.  Approximately 2.1m households will benefit by €200 each from the new scheme.

The combined worth of these payments for fuel allowance recipients is €325, which is the equivalent of almost 10 weeks of the Fuel Allowance payment.  

Furthermore, due to the continuing rise in inflation and as part of the economic consequences of the tragic conflict in Ukraine, the Government recently reduced excise duty on fuel. 

The provision of any further additional supports such as an additional bonus Fuel Allowance payment would have cost implications and could 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.