Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 24 was awarded supplementary allowance and was recently approved a disability allowance; and the reason this person cannot be awarded a rent allowance. [14684/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in decisions on individual claims. The HSE, Dublin mid-Leinster area, has confirmed that a basic weekly supplementary welfare allowance payment was made to the person concerned while his claim for disability allowance was being considered. This payment was stopped when his disability allowance was put into payment.

The executive has further advised that a rent supplement application was received from the person concerned on 6 October 2005 and that it has been unable to make a decision on this claim, as it has not received sufficient documentation from the person concerned. The executive has advised that in the absence of this documentation a formal decision will now be made on this claim and that the person concerned will be notified of the outcome directly.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of special heating supplements which were issued under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in the past three years; the costs for same; when the latest review of the fuel allowance scheme took place; and the findings of that review in terms of a lump sum payment for recipients. [14727/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, if a person has an exceptional heating cost due to a particular infirmity or medical condition which he or she is unable to meet out of household income, it is open to him/her to apply to the local community welfare officer for a special heating supplement.

The number of heating supplements paid and the annual expenditure on this supplement over the past three years is as shown in the table.

The review of the fuel allowance in 1998 looked at payment methods. A survey of recipients with the allowance on a customer panel showed that the majority, 58%, preferred weekly payment, 22% wanted a once-off lump sum payment, 12% favoured direct debit to a supplier while 8% would rather have two lump sum payments during the fuel season. The review recommended continuing with the weekly payment method.

The table shows the number receiving a standard fuel allowance, a smokeless fuel supplement and annual expenditure from 2000 to 2005.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo, who is in receipt of disability allowance, has been refused the diet supplement in view of their low income and their special dietary needs; and if this case will be reviewed and the diet supplement awarded. [14956/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Recipients of social welfare or Health Service Executive payments who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition, and whose means are insufficient to meet their needs, may qualify for a diet supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. This scheme and related supplements are administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive and neither I nor my Department has any function relating to individual claim decisions.

The HSE west has advised that the person concerned had been prescribed a diabetic diet and applied to the executive for a diet supplement in March 2006. In accordance with the regulations governing the scheme at that time, the amount of diet supplement payable in this case was €54.34, less one third of the applicant's income — one sixth in the case of a couple. The person concerned did not qualify as one third of her income exceeded the cost of the diet.

To inform a reappraisal 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. This report is the most comprehensive review of specialised diets and food costs that has been carried out in the past decade.

The study recommended a new framework for classifying the various diets and my Department has now finalised a revised diet scheme and regulations, which took account of the findings and recommendations of the study. Under the revised scheme, diabetes is not classified as requiring one of the new prescribed diets but comes within a healthy eating diet which every person is expected to meet from one third of his or her basic payment. The person concerned would not qualify for a diet supplement based on the new diet supplement regulations. The executive has further advised that the person concerned has been informed of her right to appeal the decision to HSE west appeals officer.