Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 299: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons claiming family income supplement and who submitted a claim for backdating but were refused due to the lack of knowledge clause, in each of the past five years. [13172/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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There is a general obligation on people to claim their social welfare entitlements on time and there are legislative provisions designed to cater for situations where they fail to do so. Regulations provide for payment to be made on foot of late claims in the case of a range of schemes, including family income supplement, for a period of six months prior to the date of the claim provided there is satisfactory cause for the late claims. Lack of knowledge is not in itself regarded as a basis for backdating of claims.

There are 15,040 persons in receipt of family income supplement. Information on the number of claims for the backdating of family income supplement, as a result of lack of knowledge is not held by my Department for the period in question. My Department is aware of one claim this year for the backdating of an award on the basis of lack of knowledge. That case was considered in the context of the relevant legislative provisions.

I am satisfied that the current provisions in regard to late claims strike a reasonable balance between, on the one hand, the need to exercise control of claims and the requirements of sound financial management and control of public expenditure and, on the other, the need for appropriate recognition to be given to cases of genuine hardship or difficulty.