Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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481. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will announce a lengthy extension to the fuel allowance season as a priority as a measure to provide assistance and security to householders at risk of fuel poverty due to the current spike in global fuel prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7425/22]

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 October to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. 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. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government has recently announced additional expenditure measures to a total of €505 million which will make a positive impact on the incomes of all households in our country.

As part of these measures, I was delighted to announce an additional lump sum payment of €125 that will be paid to all households in receipt of the fuel allowance payment. It is expected that this additional lump sum will be paid in early March, at an estimated cost of €49 million.

Other significant measures announced by the Government include the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment which is a key measure being developed by the Government to help mitigate the effects of the recent rise in electricity prices. The scheme, under the auspices of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and supervised by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, will be paid in addition to the gas and electricity element of the Household Benefits Package to qualifying households. Approximately 2.1m households will benefit by €200 each from the new scheme.

The combined worth of the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Payment and the additional fuel lump sum payment is €325 or the equivalent of over 9 weeks' additional Fuel Allowance at current rates. I have also announced that the Working Family Payment Budget increase announced on Budget Day will be brought forward from the first of June to the first of April.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department also provides Exceptional Needs Payments which may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.