Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: 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. [22909/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Diet supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is 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 household income.

To inform a re-appraisal 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 have been assessed by my Department to determine how the diet supplement scheme should be developed. Development of a new scheme is complex, as the report points out that certain diet conditions covered under the existing scheme should be adjusted to reflect the latest medical and dietary thinking and the fact that more healthy food products are now widely available.

I intend to introduce regulations shortly to update the scheme as appropriate, taking account of the study findings. In finalising the revised scheme and regulations, I want to make sure that any new supplement coverage and payment rates put in place continue to enable people on low incomes to meet the identified extra cost of the recommended special diets need. In the meantime, diet supplements continue to be provided for existing recipients and new applicants as heretofore.