Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending. I refer to the housing category and the exceptional and urgent needs payment. That would have provided support through the payment of rent deposits, rent in advance and assistance towards furniture and household appliances. The Comptroller and Auditor General's report states there was a lower number of claims than predicted, that it included some savings and that the provision of emergency accommodation for homeless persons is the responsibility of local authorities and the arrangement whereby supplementary welfare payments were used to fund this has ceased. I wish to understand that a little more. Other Deputies have referred to the payment in terms of paying for funerals and emergency situations. However, in the past it has also been used for matters such as rental deposits as well as items such as bedding or kitchen utensils. The exceptional needs payment still exists as part of the social welfare payments.