Fuel Poverty
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-24
============================================================

Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

Eligibility for fuel allowance has been extended and has changed extensively over the past number of years. We introduced 50,000 new families into it. It is the first time fuel allowance has been extended to those on working incomes. It is something I want to continue that those in lower-paid jobs get support. Almost €557 million is being invested in the fuel allowance scheme and we are negotiating in the context of budget 2027 a very significant energy package across Government. The fuel allowance will form part of that. I note the Deputy’s proposal, and other proposals on how we can target the fuel allowance more to assist people. We engage with families across the country. I thank those in the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, which engaged with energy companies on people's behalf. The fuel allowance, the Deputy has to admit, is significant and targeted and it is acknowledged as being targeted in the context of the report the Deputy framed his question on.

---

Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-24/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-24