Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the heating allowance has been withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick. [13242/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on 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.

If a recipient of a social welfare or Health Services Executive payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition, which he or she is unable to meet out of household income, that person can apply to the local community welfare officer for a special heating supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.

The Health Service Executive, mid-western region, has advised that payment to the person concerned has been suspended since the end of February 2006 due to an increase in household means. The community welfare officer is currently reviewing the claim. The person concerned has been requested to provide additional details of his exceptional heating needs. When the necessary information is supplied, the executive will determine whether he still has an entitlement to the heating supplement and notify him accordingly.