Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if and when he intends to introduce new regulations for the diet supplement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17186/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Diet supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Any person receiving a social welfare or health service executive payment, who has been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition and who is unable to provide for his or her food needs from within his or her own resources, may qualify for a diet supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.

Diet supplements are subject to a means test. Under the existing scheme, the amount of supplement payable in individual cases depends on which of two categories of diet, low cost or high cost, has been prescribed by the applicant's medical adviser and the income of the individual and his or her dependants. The basis for calculating the amount of diet supplement remained unchanged between 1996 and 2004. Increases in social welfare rates and in the cost of special diets since 1996 had not been taken into account in assessing entitlement in individual cases.

With effect from 1 January 2004, the diet supplement scheme was restructured to take account of increases in both social welfare payment rates and the rate of food inflation since 1996. In the case of new applicants for diet supplement, the amount of supplement payable is based on up-to-date diet costs, that is, €44 for lower cost diets or €57 for higher cost diets, less one third of the applicant's income or one sixth of the joint income in the case of a couple.

As increases in the social welfare payment rates were higher than food price inflation since 1996, the shortfall needing to be met by diet supplement is less than what it was in the past. People who were in receipt of a diet supplement prior to the introduction of the revised regulations on 1 January 2004 continue to receive their existing rate of supplement until such time as there is a change in their circumstances that would warrant a review of their cases. Pending any changes I will make to the scheme, similar arrangements continue to apply this year for existing and new cases, taking account of 2005 rates of social welfare payments.

To inform my consideration of the scheme, my Department commissioned a study by an expert from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute. The study examined the special diets prescribed in legislation for which assistance is available through the existing diet supplement scheme. The study also considered the appropriate level of assistance required to cater for any additional costs involved in providing for necessary special diets, relative to the cost of a normal healthy eating diet. The findings of this research study are being assessed by my Department to determine how the diet supplement scheme should be developed. Development of the scheme is complex, as the report points out that certain diet conditions covered under the scheme could be adjusted to reflect the latest medical and dietary thinking and the fact that many standard food products are more healthy now in any event.

I will introduce regulations to update the scheme as appropriate as soon as the revised diet supplement range and payment rates have been determined, taking account of the study findings. As part of this process, I have asked my Department to analyse recent patterns of diet supplement payment levels under the existing scheme structure as I wish to make sure that any new supplement coverage and payment rates put in place continue to enable people to meet the cost of additional special dietary items if they need them. In the meantime, diet supplements continue to be provided for existing recipients and new applicants as heretofore.