The Government announced a package of measures last night including a 200 euro energy credit, a 20% cut to public transport fares and an extra 125 euro payment for those in receipt of fuel allowance.
But critics say the help is not being properly targeted at those who need it most however the Government says this package stands alongside targeted measures introduced in the Budget aimed to assist the less well off.
Minister Michael McGrath says the plan needed to be implemented quickly and while it was raised that some people wouldn't need the payment they took the decision to roll out for all as an opt out would have slowed down the roll out.
The Minister told the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork's RedFM that he will be donating the credit to charity:
"I'll be giving €200 St. Vincent De Paul, but that's just a personal decision. There will be some people who don't need it. But there are many people who we don't really know their full story. They could have a high mortgage, high child care, I would just make the point that like it is alongside targeted measures so people who really do need this are also getting the fuel allowance payment which is 125 Euro. For a lot of people there is a rush and this is the time of year when people have the heating on a lot, and March/April, we felt was the time that this just had to be done."
