Almost 7,000 households in Laois are to benefit from the Fuel Allowance as payments under the scheme commenced yesterday.
Laois TD Sean Fleming welcomed the commencement and confirmed that the payment would be made to 6,767 households.
He said: “Yesterday marks the commencement of the scheme ahead of the Winter, with the scheme now extended so more households can avail.
“410,000 households will benefit from the Fuel Allowance; a measure aimed at helping people heat their home.”
The Fianna Fail TD also said that more households than ever before will now qualify.
He said: “The Fuel Allowance scheme is an essential measure for many households throughout the country.
“I am delighted that this scheme will now benefit more households than ever before, with 6,767 of those households in Laois.
“Fuel Allowance will be paid for 28 weeks, but households have a choice of how it will be paid, through a weekly rate of €33 or if they prefer, by way of two instalment payments of €462, totally €924 per household.”
Deputy Fleming also praised the expansion of the payment to those 66 and over, and for those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.
Fine Gael TD Willie Aird also welcomed the announcement and thanked Presidential hopeful Heather Humphreys for her work in this area in the past.
He said: “I would also like to acknowledge the work carried out by my colleague Heather Humphreys in her role as Social Protection Minister in increasing the Fuel Allowance allocations for those in Laois.
“Heather consistently champions measures to protect the most vulnerable and helping families, including expanding the fuel allowance and increasing eligibility so that more households across the constituency could benefit, showing that she would make an excellent President of Ireland.”
The easiest way to apply for the Fuel Allowance is through MyWelfare.ie.
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