Last week, it was reported that families face paying €400 more for electricity and heating this winter. The Tánaiste has said the Government will look at increasing the fuel allowance but that allowance is very limited. People who lose their jobs must wait 15 months before they qualify for the fuel allowance. This is particularly important given the thousands of people who have lost their jobs due to Covid. There is also an issue when people get sick, and this will affect people who have long Covid, and go on to illness benefit as they cannot qualify for the fuel allowance. We need to widen the net in respect of the fuel allowance. I also ask that the Government, in its budget considerations, look at establishing a €5 million discretionary fund to help people who fall outside the scope of the fuel allowance with utility bill debt, which will rise. I ask that the Government consider these proposals as part of the budget negotiations.

We will look at those matters in the context of the budget. We are all very aware of the increasing cost of fuel and how it is impacting on families, consumers and businesses. The fuel allowance kicks in again from next week. In the context of the budget, we will look at the rate and the issue of widening eligibility to cover more people. We did that in relation to the pandemic unemployment payment last year so it would not be unprecedented to do so. I have not heard of the suggestion before of a discretionary fund. It sounds like a very good idea. I am not sure that €5 million would be enough but I know that if it was more than €5 million, the Deputy would not object. We will certainly have regard to this in the context of the budget. The Government is not under any illusions about how serious this issue is and how worried people are about the rising cost of fuel. They are much more worried about it than about some of the issues that take up too much time in this House.