Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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600. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a low-income household, where some members are in low-income employment and not in receipt of social protection, can access fuel allowance; if all members of a household need to be in receipt of social protection payments before fuel allowance will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7721/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for Fuel Allowance are in place to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person aged under 66 must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including being in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a means test and the household composition criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own. Therefore, a person in employment who does not meet the conditions outlined above would prevent a household from qualifying for the Fuel Allowance payment.

A change in the qualifying criteria such as including those in low paid employment aged under 66 and not in receipt of a qualifying social protection payment, would have to be considered in the context of budgetary negotiations. However, disregarding a household member who is not reliant on long term social protection payments and who is in employment would change the targeted nature of the scheme.

I understand however that there will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that my department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. My department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.