Written answers

Thursday, 10 November 2005

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

5:00 pm

Photo of Brian O'SheaBrian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his proposals to discontinue the promotion of direct lodgement of payments from his Department to bank and building society accounts until the electronic fund transfer system has been installed in post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33649/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's policy is to ensure that a range of payment options is available to customers and that the service is continually improved by providing access to the wide range of payment options and new services and facilities now available. Customers opt for a particular payment method having regard to their own circumstances and particular need. My Department does not promote the use of any one payment method over another. The method of payment is chosen by the customer.

The current range of payment options offered by my Department include payment at post offices by means of a pension order book and by electronic or manual post draft, issued to the customer's designated post office each week. Payments are also made by cheque to the home address of the customer and direct payment to the customer's bank or building society account. Currently some 57% of customers receive payment through their local post office, 10% are paid by cheque through the postal system and 33% receive direct electronic payment to their bank or building society account.

If An Post introduces a new electronic fund transfer system suitable for social welfare payments, my Department will include it as a payment option for customers.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the correct amount of rent support payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has three dependent children and lives in accommodation costing €1,129 per month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33689/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has a function in determining entitlement in individual cases.

As I stated in my reply to a question tabled by the Deputy on 11 October 2005, the Dublin mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that, following a review of her entitlements, the person concerned has been awarded a rent supplement of €16.20 for the month of July 2005 increasing to €65.20 per month from 1 August 2005.

Following her appeal against this decision, the designated appeals officer of the executive confirmed that the person concerned was awarded the correct amount of rent supplement in her circumstances as then known. However, the executive has advised that it has some information now to indicate that the composition of the household concerned might have changed. It is arranging to contact the person concerned shortly to review her rent supplement entitlements on this basis.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in regard to an application for farm assist in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; the precise nature of any outstanding information required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33696/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned claimed farm assist on 18 April 2005. The claim has been disallowed on the grounds that the person concerned failed to prove to the satisfaction of the deciding officer how he supported himself and his wife since February 2003 given that he has no recorded income.

Decision and notification of his right to appeal issued to the person concerned on 9 November 2005.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if rent allowance is payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33699/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered my behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in decisions on individual claims.

Since 1 May 2004, this scheme and other social assistance payments are subject to a statutory habitual residence test.

The Dublin-mid-Leinster region of the executive has advised that the person concerned made an application for basic supplementary welfare allowance at the beginning of November 2005. Her application was disallowed by the executive on the grounds that she did not satisfy the statutory habitual residence condition.

She has been informed of her right of appeal against this decision. She has received some assistance recently from the executive through exceptional needs payments to meet particular once-off costs.

The person concerned has not made a formal application for rent supplement. She has been advised by the executive that she would be unlikely to qualify for that supplement either, on habitual residency grounds. However, as she is a migrant worker from an EU country and has also worked in this country, she may have acquired rights to social welfare benefits or social assistance, including supplementary welfare allowance, here. My Department has referred her case to the executive for further consideration on this basis.

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