Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2022-11-30
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Aindrias Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West

More than 17,000 people who are on illness benefit will now qualify for the Christmas bonus. That is a good move and is an acknowledgement of the financial pressure they are under. I acknowledge that. They should also be able to access the means-tested fuel allowance. Up until now they have been precluded from the means-tested allowance on the basis that they are on a short-term payment. Really, people just want to recover their health and get back to work and a somewhat normal life. In the meantime, however, when they are off work with their health condition, they still have financial commitments: the mortgage must be paid, the car loan must be paid and so many commitments. Unless the employer is giving them a top-up they are in a difficult financial position. Given that the acknowledgement is there now for the Christmas bonus, and given the pressure that people are under, can this be taken a step further so people who are receiving illness benefit for more than 12 months will get the means-tested fuel allowance?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2022-11-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:51:21+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-11-30