Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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297. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost in 2023 if the fuel allowance were to be increased to €41 per week. [46821/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. 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. Only one allowance is paid per household.

Based on an average of 371,000 households qualifying for fuel allowance payment in 2023 and a 28-week fuel allowance season, it is estimated that increasing the fuel allowance rate by €8 a week to €41 would cost an additional €83.1 million.

Increasing the rate of Fuel Allowance would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Service.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.