Catherine Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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111. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider removing the means test for the fuel allowance for individuals aged 70 and over, this will also make them eligible for free home energy upgrades (warmer homes scheme), from which they are currently excluded, allowing all elderly citizens to live more comfortably in their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21604/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty.

While my Department's schemes are reviewed on an ongoing basis, any decision to remove the means test criterion for Fuel Allowance would change the targeted nature of the payment and can only be considered in a wider budgetary and policy context.

The Warm Homes Scheme is under the remit of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and provides for fully funded energy upgrades to homeowners who are in receipt of certain targeted payments from my Department. The eligibility criteria for that scheme are a matter for the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.