Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2026
132. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to report on any meetings she has had with disability representative organisations regarding soaring fuel costs since the outbreak of the current war in the Middle East. [29125/26]
View answerIt is important at the outset to outline the action that Government is taking to assist households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy.
Those that engage with specialist disability services will benefit from these supports.
• At this point, the €750 million intervention by the Irish Government is one of the more significant in the EU.
• We have reduced excise on petrol, diesel and MGO. When taken with a reduction in the NORA, National Oil Reserves Agency, Levy, that means 32 cent off a litre of diesel, 27 cent off a litre of petrol [and 7.4 cent on Marked Gas Oil (MGO)].
• We have deferred the increase on carbon tax which was due to take place on 1 May until 14 October. This provides further support to consumers of kerosene, natural gas, solid fuels, MGO and other relevant fuels.
• We have increased the maximum repayment amount available to qualifying road haulage and bus transport operators the Diesel Rebate Scheme from 7.5 cent to 12 cents per litre for Quarters 1 and 2 of 2026.
• We are conscious too that people are worried about the cost of home heating and have extended the Fuel Allowance season — helping vulnerable groups such as pensioners, carers, people with a disability and low-income working families.
• It’s also really important we help sectors of our economy most impacted by the rise of fuel costs, such as our hauliers, bus and coach operators. That’s why we have expanded the diesel rebate scheme and have backdated it to January.
I’m acutely aware of the concern that existed with regard to public services over the course of the fuel protests.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group, NECG, met to consider the disruptions to the transport network, fuel distribution and vital services. The NECG brought together all relevant Government Departments and State Agencies to co-ordinate the response, mitigate disruption and report to Government.
The Department of Children, Disability & Equality was represented on the NECG and officials attended meetings of the group. During the blockades consideration was given to the impacts to services within the Department’s remit and the impacts identified were communicated to the NECG.
The impacts identified and communicated to the NECG included potential impacts in relation to specialist community-based disability services. Certain potential impacts were initially signalled including disruption to travel from home or residential services to day services, as well as public transport impacts that might be more acutely felt by those with disabilities more generally. Potential disruption in the case of home support and personal assistance services was highlighted, as were potential impacts on therapy appointments. However, thankfully, in ongoing engagements with HSE Disabilities, no specific matters were escalated or brought to the Department’s attention.
The situation continued to be monitored during the blockades and engagement continued between Department officials and the HSE during the period.
