asked the Minister for Social Welfare the changes now proposed in the cheap fuel scheme for 1979-1980, the weekly value of the voucher, the areas of eligibility and the number of weekly payments.

23.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is satisfied that £1.50 per week or equivalent available to persons eligible under the fuel scheme operated by him through local authorities is adequate for heating small houses in winter months and if he will make a statement on the matter.

24.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the sharp increase in fuel prices, he will consider increasing the weekly value of vouchers under the scheme.

I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 22 to 24, inclusive, together.

Since 1 October local authorities who operate the cheap fuel scheme may issue money value vouchers which will be exchanged by shopkeepers and traders for any type of domestic fuel or which can be used in paying gas or electricity bills. This arrangement replaces the old one under which one cwt. of turf was supplied weekly to those eligible.

The weekly value of the voucher is £1.50 and 30 weekly payments will be made in the period from October 1979 to April 1980. This is intended as a supplement to help meet the cost of domestic heating. The social welfare payments of all those eligible for the cheap fuel scheme have also been increased by a minimum of £1.00 per week this winter.

The cheap fuel scheme is in operation in the following 17 cities and towns —Dundalk, Drogheda, Balbriggan, Dublin, Dún Laoghaire, Bray, Wicklow, Arklow, Kilkenny, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Wexford, New Ross, Waterford, Dungarvan, Cork and Limerick. A similar type of scheme is in operation for the remainder of the Eastern Health Board area not covered by the cheap fuel scheme. Other health board areas have schemes in operation for their particular areas.

Is the Minister aware that £1.50 per week is not sufficient for people on a low income?

It is meant as a supplement.

Many people depend on it for a fire during the winter. Would the Minister consider increasing that amount to £3 per week, a figure which would be somewhat more effective for old people?

I accept that the larger the amount is the more effective it will be but that is all I can do at present. Members should not forget that this winter there will be a special addition of £1 per week on all benefits.

That was intended to cover the cost of living generally but it does not.

Deputy Collins asked me to increase it to £3 but, in fact, it is £2.50 if one takes the extra £1 per week into account.

The £1 was needed to cover other things.

We would all like to give more if we could but I have to work within the constraints of my budget.

I appreciate that the Minister has had severe constraints imposed upon him by the Minister for Finance for some reason or another but even allowing for that does he not appreciate that the amount of the allowance would not cover one-third of the needs to keep a fire going?

The Deputy's heart rending appeal would be much more effective were it not for the fact that he was a member of a Government who for four years did nothing about the antiquated fuel scheme which was in existence. He did not make any improvements in that scheme.

It is very easy to have a social conscience when in Opposition.

Is the Minister aware that since Fianna Fáil came to office the cost of electricity alone has risen by about 50 per cent?

That does not affect people who get free electricity.

It affects those who do not qualify for free electricity.

In 1975 the Deputy's party cut out that scheme altogether.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The Deputy's party took the milk from the children.

In view of the fact that the scheme was introduced some months ago when £1.50 was an acceptable figure does the Minister accept that the cost of energy has increased significantly since then? Will the Minister agree to link the scheme to the increasing cost of energy, whatever about the basic cost?

The Deputy has a point. When we brought in the figure of £1.50 a certain level of prices prevailed and I accept that that has changed since. However, the £1.50 is an improvement and people in the city area who wish can get turf instead of the voucher. They will get the same amount of turf, 1 cwt.

The price of turf has increased also. The reason the Minister introduced the voucher scheme was because of the inequalities in the turf scheme.

If people feel the voucher is inadequate they can still get 1 cwt. of turf.

When will the Minister change the figure of £1.50?

The Minister will not be allowed to do so.

That is not so. As I stated, the flexibility of the voucher scheme has been welcomed, as Deputy Keating is aware, by everybody concerned about this aspect of our welfare services in the city. In addition, the corporation intend maintaining their fuel dumps and individuals and voluntary organisations will have access to those dumps in cases of necessity, as well as the vouchers.

If it was indexed it would be a better scheme.

25.