Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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461. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending the current fuel allowance beyond 10 April 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15191/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The provision of any additional supports such as extending the Fuel Allowance season would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of supports, energy efficiency awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock.

As part of the cost-of-living measures announced in the Budget, an additional lump sum payment of €400 was paid to all households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment the week of 14 November. This payment is the equivalent of over 12 weeks' additional Fuel Allowance.

When taken in conjunction with theenhanced electricity credit of €600, Fuel Allowance households will receive an additional €1,000towards their energy costs.

Furthermore, I recently announced a further range of measures to support families through this difficult period. This package includes a €200 lump sum payment which will be paid to over 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments including to those on Jobseeker's payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months.

For any person or family having genuine difficulty heating their home my Department also provides discretionary Additional Needs Payments, where appropriate, to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. These payments are not ring-fenced or budget limited, as they would be if they were drawn from an earmarked fund, but rather are demand led.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.