Each time the energy crisis is raised, and I have raised it with both the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, and the Tánaiste on numerous occasions, we are told that the fuel allowance is the solution. There is nothing else - no new actions or measures. I have repeatedly made the point that the fuel allowance is extremely limited. That is the problem. I have learned from a recent reply from the Minister for Social Protection to a parliamentary question that the increase in eligibility that was announced in the budget will only extend the fuel allowance possibly to an estimated 4,500 households. That does not become operational until January. The other fuel allowance measure announced with regard to jobseekers will benefit an estimated 3,300 households. There is support for an additional 7,800 households but the vast majority of them will not see that support until January. Given the scale of the energy crisis, this is not enough. I again ask that the Government consider a discretionary fund. This has been proposed by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which is spending millions of euro every year supporting families. We have to acknowledge that the energy crisis is an emergency and that more is needed than the fuel allowance.

In the recent budget there was an emphasis on trying to recognise the fact that there is fuel cost inflation and increased costs for families and homes. Independent assessments of the budget have shown that the Government is successfully compensating for that. We will keep this under review as we go through the winter in terms of the energy issues we discussed earlier.