Three questions were taken together. Is the Minister not going to answer my question?

Under the national fuel scheme an allowance at the rate of £4 a week is payable for a 30-week period from October to April. The purpose of the allowance——

I would like a reply to my question. Could I ask the Minister——

I have called Question No. 19. I am sorry.

Could I ask, a Cheann Comhairle——

You may not ask me anything.

What am I supposed to do? Sit down and keep my mouth shut?

To sit down. I have called Question No. 19.

I asked the question.

I have called Question No. 19.

Under the national fuel scheme, an allowance at the rate of £4 a week is payable for a 30-week period——

A Cheann Comhairle,

——from their own resources.

The scheme is administered by the health boards and each board makes its own arrangements for issuing the allowance, either by voucher or by cheque. The general practice among the boards is for the allowance to be paid in two or three instalments during the heating season. In the Eastern Health Board area, payment is made by a cheque for £80 at the commencement of the scheme in October and a further cheque for £40 in February.

When Deputy P. Gallagher was speaking, I was on my feet.

I am satisfied that payment of the fuel allowance in this way fulfils the purpose of the scheme. This method, in fact, has the advantage that it enables a recipient to purchase fuel in larger quantities than would otherwise be possible.

Before some Deputy asks a question, might I ask the Minister to repeat the answer to Question No. 19? The first part could not possibly have been heard.

Before the Minister——

I am sorry, Deputy.

May I just point this out to the Chair?

If you have a point——

On a point of information——

There is no such point. Has the Deputy a point of order?

I want to ask the Minister a question and to abide by the Chair's ruling. I want to draw the attention of the Chair to the fact that he did take questions——

I did not take them.

——Nos. 16, 17 and 18 together.

That is right.

There were only three or four supplementary questions asked on those. When the Minister is grouping questions together, the Deputies on this side of the House should be allowed to ask a number of questions on each of the questions.

Hear, hear.

I wish to ask the Minister a question.

I have gone to the next question and I have discretion. I am sorry, Deputy.

The Chair had not gone to the question when I was on my feet.

I had, Deputy. I disallowed your question.

I was standing.

I am sorry, Deputy, I am not going back.

Just one final comment. There was no question asked on Question No. 18 on the Clár.

There is a general opinion around here that supplementary questions are obligatory. There is no such rule. Would the Minister please answer Question No. 19?

I cannot ask the Minister a question on Question No. 18 — is that Dáil reform?

May I proceed, a Cheann Comhairle?

I called Question No. 19 and it has been answered, but because of this disorder I had to ask the Minister to repeat it.

As a new Deputy to the House——

The Deputy gets every consideration.

I very seldom ask to speak in the House and would like to ask the Minister——

Would Deputy Hilliard please resume his seat?

19.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that those entitled to a weekly fuel voucher are being issued with two £80 cheques in September and February; and if he is satisfied that this adequately fulfils the intention of the benefit which is to ensure that recipients have adequate heat throughout the winter.

Under the national fuel scheme an allowance at the rate of £4 a week is payable for a 30-week period from October to April. The purpose of the allowance is to assist persons who are unable to provide for their heating needs from their own resources.

The scheme is administered by the health boards and each board makes its own arrangements for issuing the allowance, either by voucher or by cheque. The general practice among the boards is for the allowance to be paid in two or three instalments during the heating season. In the Eastern Health Board area, payment is made by a cheque for £80 at the commencement of the scheme in October and a further cheque for £40 in February.

I am satisfied that payment of the fuel allowance in this way fulfils the purpose of the scheme. This method, in fact, has the advantage that it enables a recipient to purchase fuel in larger quantities than would otherwise be possible.

The Minister must agree that this is a decision made to suit the Minister or the Department. It has not been made to suit the recipients of the fuel vouchers. Has the Minister at any time acted on the request of the recipients of the fuel vouchers as to whether or not they wish to have an £80 payment made in one go or a fuel voucher per week? The original purpose of the fuel voucher scheme was to ensure that elderly people, in particular, would have sufficient fuel each week throughout the winter period.

As indicated in my reply, while I felt that the method of payment was reasonable and did allow the recipients to purchase larger quantities of fuel than otherwise would be possible, and possibly buying it in bulk is buying it cheaper. I will have a look at it to see if it is causing any great concern. Any great hardship has not come to my notice.

Does the Minister not consider that it is a cause for concern for people whose incomes are so low that they do not have any reserve when they receive £80 and have plenty of other things to do with it, like buying clothes, a pair of shoes or something like that, which leaves them without sufficient money at Christmas to buy fuel? Would he allow the voucher scheme to be given weekly on request, or bulk on request — that the Department would act on the request of the recipient? Would the Minister agree that if a person requests a voucher per week that person should get it each week?

I will have a look at that because I will need to see the administrative problems which it may cause. It is not my intention that hardship should be caused by any scheme that is meant to alleviate hardship. If a scheme is causing hardship I will certainly look at it.

It was a weekly voucher scheme and it has been changed.

We might be able to make a voucher for the type of fuel people want and give an actual voucher so they would have to get the type of fuel in question rather than get a cheque, which the Deputy indicated they may spend for other needy things. I will have a look at it.

Would the Minister agree that there are many people living in single person's council houses who would not have accommodation for a large amount of fuel and who are dependent on the weekly supply of fuel? In view of that situation would the Minister reconsider going back to the original position of weekly payments? Could the Minister tell us in what month this year the cheques were paid to the people receiving fuel vouchers?

Which health board is the Deputy talking about?

The Western Health Board, or any health board the Minister likes.

In regard to the Western Health Board the first cheque was sent out on 13 October.

What about County Meath?

That is the North Eastern Health Board. The first cheque was sent out 21 October 1983.

Could the Minister tell us the reason for this delay?

What delay?

They were to be paid in September.

No, October.

20.