Bríd Smith: Highlights energy poverty gap for over-70s in Budget 2022
Bríd Smith criticised Budget 2022 for failing to increase fuel allowances for over-70s in the household benefit package and called for a government survey on energy poverty. She said the budget widened eligibility for fuel allowance but left many older people without an increase and urged the anomaly to be addressed urgently.
Call for an energy poverty survey
She reiterated that her party has consistently called on this government and the previous government to conduct a survey of energy poverty among the population, saying it has never been done and that such a survey is needed to understand the scale of the problem.
Budget 2022 anomaly for over-70s
Smith pointed to an anomaly in Budget 2022: eligibility for the fuel allowance was widened, but only a few thousand people will benefit and many over-70s who receive household benefit packages saw no increase in the fuel allowance portion. She stressed that older people, particularly during COVID, are likely to stay at home and face very cold conditions.
Carbon tax and ring-fenced funding
She argued that one of the reasons for introducing the carbon tax was to provide ring-fenced funding to support low-income groups and those facing fuel poverty. She said that objective was intended to enable supports for people who require assistance as a result of fuel poverty.
Calls for immediate redress and ongoing review
Smith urged the government to urgently address the discrepancy between the widened eligibility and the lack of increased payments for the household benefit package. She noted broader social protection increases in the budget and said these issues must be kept under review.
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Teachta Dala, People Before Profit have consistently called on this government and the previous government to conduct a survey of energy poverty among our population. It has never been done by the government and it needs to be done. But I want to today point out an anomaly that exists in the recent budget. Budget 2022 did widen the eligibility for fuel allowance slightly, but there are only a few thousand people who will benefit. But there is a huge cohort of over 70s who are in seat of the household benefit packages who got no increase in the fuel allowance section of that package. And I wonder, do you ever think about that? Because these over 70s are the ones most likely, particularly during COVID, to stay at home, to have to stay at home. And many of them live in very, very cold conditions and we haven't increased their payment for at least two budgets. So I think that anomaly needs to be addressed and addressed urgently. And I would also again call on this government to conduct that survey on energy poverty. But the immediate anomaly between the difference between increase in it for the household benefit package has to be looked at. One of the reasons why we brought in the carbon tax was to provide ring-fenced funding to enable us to deal with low-income groups and people who would require supports as a result of fuel poverty. And that was the objective and that is what we are doing and also in terms of the broader increases in social welfare announced in the budget. We constantly keep these issues under review. You have raised a particular point. It is not an anomaly as such, it is that the eligibility for fuel allowance was widened in this budget and expanded. And then there was a broader increase in social protection measures then to deal with a range of other issues. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoiseach Deputy. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise. Thank you Taoise.
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