We know that 20,000 people were refused fuel allowance up to February and now more vulnerable people are being kicked off the scheme for being slightly over the income thresholds. Let us consider Angela who is 81 years old. She got an €8 increase from her husband's small private pension. That was enough to kick her off the fuel allowance scheme but it does not take her out of energy poverty. The bigger issue here, apart from Angela, is that the fuel allowance scheme does not capture all those in danger of energy poverty. Will the Government ensure that the Department does not remove anyone else from the scheme in cases where small income increases do nothing to remove people from the trap of energy poverty?

In the context of the budget, income thresholds in respect of the fuel allowance will certainly be looked at. We are very conscious of the constraints from an income threshold perspective.