asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that people living in the Dublin County Council area who are unemployed do not qualify under the free fuel scheme and that unemployed people living in the Dún Laoghaire Corporation and Dublin Corporation areas do qualify; if he will explain the reason for this discriminatory practice; if he will resolve the problem as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

12.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason recipients of unemployment assistance are excluded from the 1983-84 national fuel scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

13.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will rationalise the two fuel schemes which operate in cities; and the date when changes will be implemented.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 12 and 13 together. At present two separate fuel schemes are in operation. There is an urban scheme for residents of 17 cities and towns, including Dublin and Dún Laoghaire, and there is a national scheme which operates throughout the State. Under the urban scheme, recipients of unemployment assistance who have dependants automatically qualify. The national scheme is intended primarily to cater for the heating needs of persons receiving social welfare pensions and similar long-term payments and does not include unemployment assistance recipients.

The position whereby there are two separate fuel schemes with different conditions for entitlement is undoubtedly confusing and unsatisfactory. Proposals are, therefore, being prepared for submission to the Government with a view to replacing the two existing schemes with a single uniform scheme from the beginning of October 1984.

Did I understand the Minister to say that he was taking Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together?

And Question No. 13.

Perhaps the Minister would read out the answer to Question No. 12?

It is a composite answer.

It might be a composite answer to No. 11, but I would like an answer to Question No. 12.

The answer which I have given is that the national scheme is intended primarily to cater for the heating needs of persons receiving social welfare pensions and similar long-term payments and does not include unemployment assistance recipients.

Why, in the year of the national fuel scheme 1983-84, was there a special exclusion by this Government of those on unemployment assistance, who are the poorest in our community? This was an exclusion which did not apply in previous years. Previously it was stated that the health boards had discretion, outside the categories named, to give those such as unemployed free fuel. Why has a specific paragraph been inserted this year into the national fuel scheme to exclude those on unemployment assistance?

The national fuel scheme was introduced in 1980 to expand and rationalise the various schemes for provision of winter heating which had been in existence under the old home assistance scheme which was abolished in 1977. The conditions were devised to include the best features of the existing schemes, in particular that of the southern area, which was the most expensive, but the categories were extended to include recipients of all long-term pensions and allowances and the liberal definition of "living alone" was borrowed from the free electricity scheme. While unemployment assistance recipients were included in the urban scheme, these schemes had been brought in specifically for non-turf areas during the war and the criteria of need would not justify extending the entitlement to unemployment assistance recipients throughout the country, where the majority would have access to turf. There are indications that unemployment assistance recipients have been granted allowances in cases of special hardship, but these are isolated cases and the scheme is generally being administered in accordance with the approved criteria.

I would accept what the Minister says, but——

Deputy O'Hanlon will bear in mind——

But the Minister has not answered my question.

One moment, please. Deputy O'Hanlon will bear in mind the lecture which the Chair received yesterday about exceeding the time allotted for Question Time.

Would the Minister write to the health boards telling them to do as they have been doing in previous years?

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.