Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the anomalous position[i] vis-À-vis[/i] welfare entitlement of students, whereby those who had been living independently of their parents with the support of welfare benefits and who later took a place at a third level institution have few social welfare entitlements purely on account of their student status and irrespective of their special circumstances; if his attention has further been drawn to the gross disincentive this presents for students to continue in education, particularly when rent allowance is affected; if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) which highlights this problem in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24080/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplements are available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. In general, people in full-time education are excluded from receiving assistance, including rent supplement, under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. However, there is provision for continued payment of rent supplement to eligible long-term social welfare recipients who wish to resume full-time education in approved courses through the back to education allowance or VTOS schemes, subject to satisfying the other standard conditions of the rent supplement scheme. Otherwise, there is no provision whereby a person in full-time education can qualify.

The Dublin north-east area of the Health Service Executive has advised that, in the course of a routine review of her entitlements, it became aware that the person concerned is a full-time student. As she is not participating in either the back to education allowance or VTOS schemes, she does not satisfy the conditions for continued payment of rent supplement. She has been informed by the executive, therefore, her rent supplement entitlement will cease in the event that she resumes full-time education next September.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 385: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his views on the fact that €3 million worth of social welfare cheques were not cashed in 2004; if this has been attributed to the fact that one in three welfare recipients do not have a bank account and so rely on local traders to exchange the cheques for cash or goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24084/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department issued over 6.7 million cheques in 2004, of which 16,428 remained uncashed at their expiry date. Cheques issued by my Department can be cashed anytime up to six months after the date of issue. The reason cheques remained uncashed at their expiry date was because they had been lost, stolen, destroyed or were not cashed by customers or traders neglected to redeem them. In cases where my Department was satisfied that the original cheque had not been cashed by the customer or the value redeemed by the trader, replacement cheques were issued to them. A total of 8,732 replacement cheques were issued in 2004.

Cheques are but one of a range of payment methods offered to customers and account for about 10% of total payments issued by my Department. Departmental cheques are drawn on the Bank of Ireland and may be cashed at any bank branch on production of necessary identification. In addition, Bank of Ireland has an agreement with An Post whereby social welfare cheques may be cashed at any post office subject to satisfactory proof of identity.

While precise statistics are not available, it is estimated that about one third of social welfare customers in receipt of cheque payments cash them at retail outlets without any difficulty. My Department is not aware that customers receiving payment by cheque are experiencing any difficulties in encashing them.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) has been discontinued payment of the diet supplement; the options available to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24085/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Diet supplements are provided for under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The amount of supplement payable is subject to a means test and 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 southern region of the executive has advised that the person concerned had been in receipt of a diet supplement of €44.20 per month — equivalent to €10.20 per week — in respect of a low cost, low fat diet, in addition to his invalidity pension of €264.40 per week from my Department. The person concerned was awarded retirement pension of €295.30 per week by my Department in place of his invalidity pension, with effect from 24 March 2005.

The executive subsequently reviewed the rate of diet supplement payable to him to take account of the increase of €30.90 in his weekly pension income. Following this review, the executive ceased payment of diet supplement to him, as his means were in excess of the prescribed limit for entitlement. This revised determination by the executive is based on the income and diet information available to it regarding the person concerned. He has a right of appeal to the executive against this decision and to present to it any new facts or information which might be relevant to his diet supplement eligibility.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has plans to improve the various benefits other than at budget time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24156/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Improvements in social welfare schemes and services are normally introduced by way of the annual budget and/or the biannual Social Welfare Acts. Due to the funding implications normally associated with such improvements, I have no immediate plans to introduce them in another context.