Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The additional needs payment is not a new scheme and it comes under the remit of the general supplementary welfare allowance scheme operational guidelines. A briefing note with information on the additional needs payment has issued to all staff in the Department, setting out the role of community welfare officers in assisting customers with cost-of-living expenses. It directs community welfare officers to use their discretionary powers in considering applications for additional needs payments and places significant emphasis on assisting customers with cost-of-living expenses.

Where there are household income guidelines, it has been emphasised to the community welfare service, CWS, team in my Department that these are guidelines only and that customers' needs for assistance arising from difficulties in meeting increased costs for food, fuel, electricity and heating are the primary consideration. The briefing note was augmented by a training webinar for all community welfare officers, CWOs, nationwide with the national CWS management team and a training bulletin has issued to all CWS staff in regard to the increased costs of living and the additional needs payment. I have asked my deputy Secretary General to meet the community welfare officers and to report to me on that meeting. While she is in constant contact with them, she will also meet them.

See this speech in context