Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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804. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when an exceptional needs payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27447/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) is to assist people with essential expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their available resources.

The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case. Applications for ENPs are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.

According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for an ENP to assist with the cost of furnishing their new home. A request for further information subsequently issued to the person. This information was partly received by my Department on 17/05/2023 and the remaining documentation was received on 02/06/2023.

To further discuss the person’s needs, a Community Welfare Officer has arranged to visit the person at their home on Monday 12/06/2023. The person’s application will then be progressed and they will be advised of the outcome in writing.

I trust this clarifies the matter.