Written answers

Wednesday, 15 February 2006

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 pm

Photo of Arthur MorganArthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, under the requirement that in order to qualify for the unemployment benefit or assistance a person must be willing and able to accept a suitable offer of full-time work immediately, certain employment can be deemed unsuitable where the hours of employment include night time hours and the person is a parent of young children. [5818/06]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Entitlement to unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance is subject to satisfying certain conditions provided for in law which require, among others, that the person is capable of work, is available for work and is genuinely seeking work. Being available for work means that a person is free to take up employment immediately and is not placing restrictions on the type of work or the hours of work he or she would accept taking into account his/her age, physique, education, skills and other qualifications.

In determining entitlement a deciding officer looks at the circumstances of each case on its own merits. All of the factors mentioned by the Deputy are taken into account and in certain cases the deciding officer may form the view that a refusal to take up night work, for which the person was otherwise qualified, was unreasonable. Any person dissatisfied with a decision of a deciding officer may appeal against the decision to the independent social welfare appeals office.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons considered homeless who are currently in receipt of the unemployment allowance; the number of persons considered homeless who are currently in receipt of each of the supplementary welfare allowance, rent supplement, diet supplement and exceptional needs payments; the way in which these allowances would be paid to a person without an address or fixed abode; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5983/06]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Homeless persons have the same entitlements under the social welfare system as other persons and are subject to the same qualifying conditions. If homeless persons are unemployed but capable of and genuinely seeking work, then they can apply for unemployment assistance providing they can provide an address, such as a hostel, at which they can be contacted if necessary. They can be paid basic supplementary welfare allowance if they do not fulfil the conditions for any other primary weekly payment from my Department. In addition, they can also apply for payments such as rent supplementation, diet supplement and exceptional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.

As homeless persons have the same entitlements under the social welfare system as other persons and are subject to the same qualifying conditions, the Department does not maintain specific statistics in relation to the numbers of homeless persons who receive particular payments. This Department employs a variety of payment instruments including payment directly into a customer's bank account, payment from the post office or payment by cheque.

The homeless person's unit of the health service executive in Dublin city centre makes supplementary welfare allowance payments to homeless people. The most common payment methods used by the homeless person's unit are payment at the person's nominated post office or payment by cheque directly from the community welfare division.

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