asked the Minister for Social Welfare is she is satisfied wth the administration of the free fuel voucher scheme.

The free fuel schemes appear to be operating satisfactorily in their present form. I am, however, having the operation of the schemes as a whole reviewed with a view to assessing their overall adequacy and suitability for the persons for whom they are intended.

Would the Minister not regard it as anomalous that people living in technically rural areas which may be in the middle of urban conglomerations are deprived of free fuel vouchers? Would she consider taking steps to remedy that anomaly?

Such anomalies will be considered in the course of the review which is taking place. The national scheme is now in its second year of operation and the review possibly should have taken place this year. It certainly will take place before a new scheme comes into operation and the anomaly mentioned will be considered.

Would the Minister not agree that all persons in receipt of non-contributory pensions — old age pensions particularly — should be entitled to th free fuel allowance and not have people calling on them to ask questions?

The system of allocating this benefit was not decided upon by this Government and we are pledged to examine it. Anomalies such as this are rife throughout the system and I do not propose to take full responsibility for them. However, I do propose to take responsibility for an examination of the system in an attempt to smooth out difficulties. The scheme has been much improved and the help of Deputies would be greatly appreciated in eradicating anomalies.

Would the Minister agree that the introduction of a national scheme last year was a major step which involved a considerable increase in the cost of the scheme and paved the way for the removal in due course of further anomalies?

I agree that the national scheme was a significant improvement.

Would the Minister agree that since the Coalition came to power they have brought about such a degree of poverty that it is necessary to give this allowance to people in certain categories?

I would not say that.

Would the Minister agree that all the anomalies in the existing scheme arose out of the manner in which the previous administration introduced the scheme? Would the Minister confirm in addition that, contrary to what Deputy Woods stated, the national scheme which he alleged he introduced was not a new development but that the statutory powers for the scheme arose under the Social Welfare (Supplementary Welfare Allowances) Act, 1975 and that the national scheme introduced by the previous administration effectively saved them money and meant that the full powers under the 1975 Act were not operated by supplementary welfare allowance officers?

I would agree with the Deputy.

Would the Minister agree that the scheme brought 56,000 additional people into the national scheme and consequently involved considerable further allocations by the Government?

In 1978-79 approximately 15,000 beneficiaries were assisted at a cost of £0.5 million. In 1979 the Government approved the introduction of a new fuel scheme for the Eastern Health Board using the exchangeable voucher for urban schemes. In 1980 the national free fuel scheme was introduced to expand the scheme throughout the country and this led to a great increase in spending.

Can the Minister now confirm that it is part of her brief to do something to relieve the poverty brought about by the insane policies of this Government?

This Government have shown sensitivity and understanding and a level of commitment to planning to eradicate poverty. They have set up a Ministry and re-established the combat poverty programme. They are committed to serious planning and not merely to ad hoc reactions such as resulted in many schemes in the past.

They have shown no sensitivity to the needs of the deserving poor.

Would the Minister take the necessary steps to ensure that unscrupulous politicians such as we have in the west, attached to one particular party, do not get the names of the beneficiaries under this scheme and write to them, as they did last year, as if they themselves were providing the free fuel?

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