Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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119. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 30 and 32 of 1 October 2024, what supports are in place for residents who are struggling to pay for their heating bills under a district heating scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42153/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Budget 2025 introduced a fourth Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme which over 2.2 million households will benefit from - worth €250 in total per household. Through the four Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Schemes since early 2022, 2.2 million households will have received €1,500 in total of on-bill support by February 2025.

A variety of other supports are available to support households meet their energy costs, including for residents paying for heating through a district heating scheme. These include the Fuel Allowance payment which has recently expanded eligibility to include people on Employment Support Schemes, and the Additional Needs Payment, provided by the Department of Social Protection.

Budget 2025 also provided for a €300 cost of living lump sum payment to all households getting Fuel Allowance to be paid in November 2024, meaning recipients will receive a total of €1,224 in Fuel Allowance payments this Winter. Additionally, a means test disregard for Fuel Allowance has been extended to those aged 66 and over from January 2025 meaning more people will qualify for this support.

In addition, the revised Energy Poverty Action Plan, due to be published later this year, will build on and continue the policies and actions that have been driven to date by the existing Plan, and where appropriate, informed by stakeholder input, will supplement these measures.