John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if rent allowance will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if a decision will be expedited. [21861/06]

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 relation to decisions on individual claims.

Supplementary welfare allowance is subject to a means test. Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to their family circumstances, less €13. This €13 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources. Many recipients pay more than €13 towards their rent because applicants are required, having regard to income disregards, to contribute any additional assessable means that they have over and above the appropriate basic supplementary welfare allowance rate towards their rent.

The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned has been refused a rent supplement on the grounds that she is in a position to pay the rent from her own resources. It is open to the person concerned to appeal the decision given to the designated appeals officer within the Health Service Executive.