John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 145: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will intervene with the Health Service Executive, north-western area, on behalf of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo. [36198/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. My Department has no function with regard to decisions on individual claims.

To be eligible for rent supplement, applicants must have a housing need that they are unable to meet either from their own resources or through accommodation available to them from another source, including local authority housing.

The north-western area of the executive has advised that it rejected a claim for rent supplement from the person concerned, on the basis that she had vacated her local authority house in June 2005 and had failed to satisfy the executive that she had a valid reason for doing so. It is open to the person concerned to appeal this decision to the designated appeals officer of the executive.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 146: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when the full dietary allowance will be restored in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36277/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The diet supplement scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, and neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to individual claim decisions. The Dublin-mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that, following a review of his entitlements, it determined that the person concerned was entitled to a reduced rate of diet supplement. His payment was adjusted accordingly in July 2005. The person concerned has appealed to the executive against the decision to adjust his claim. The appeals office has found in favour of the applicant who will be awarded the higher rate of supplement as previously approved. Any arrears outstanding will be reimbursed to the person concerned.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 147: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason adoptive benefit is awarded only to an adopting mother or a single male who adopts a child; his plans to revise the eligibility criteria of this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36092/05]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 148: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, where adoption directly follows a period of foster care he will relax the eligibility criteria for adoptive benefit to allow persons who are not in employment directly before the adoption to receive same in view of the small number of cases this affects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36093/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.

Entitlement to adoptive benefit is contingent in the first instance on entitlement to adoptive leave. The right to adoptive leave is established under the adoptive leave legislation, which is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. That legislation requires that the adopting parent's employer certifies entitlement to adoptive leave. Eligibility for adoptive benefit is confined to an adopting parent, as defined under social welfare legislation, which is in turn tied into the provisions of adoptive leave legislation. An adopting parent is an employed adopting mother, an employed sole male adopter, or, where an adopting mother has died, an employed adopting father.

Under the provisions of social welfare legislation, periods of adoptive leave attract a payment from my Department, subject to certain contribution conditions. He or she must have paid a minimum number of contributions at the relevant contribution classes. Foster parents are not excluded from entitlement to adoptive leave and in turn adoptive benefit but the eligibility criteria prescribed in both pieces of legislation must be fulfilled to establish their entitlement to adoptive benefit.

The adoptive benefit scheme has been significantly improved in the last four years in terms of both the duration of the payment and the level at which it is paid. In 2001, in line with a commensurate increase in maternity leave and benefit, the duration of adoptive leave and benefit was increased by four weeks to a total of 14 weeks. Last year, it was further extended by two weeks to a total of 16 weeks. Just as significantly, the period of unpaid adoptive leave was increased by four weeks to eight weeks, bringing the total period of adoptive leave to which a woman is entitled to 24 weeks. Over the same period, the estimated cost of the adoptive benefit scheme rose from €260,000 to €609,000 per annum. These improvements reflect the ongoing enhancements in adoptive leave provisions.