David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1052: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of applications for the respite grant to date in 2006; the number of applications which have not been processed and awarded; the average time it is currently taking his Department to process respite grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29965/06]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1053: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the backlog in processing respite grant applications still exists; if so, the number of claims outstanding; when a decision will be made on the outstanding applications; the efforts his Department has made or is making to address the delay in processing applications; the additional contact his Department has had with these applicants in relation to the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29966/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1052 and 1053 together.

People providing full-time care who are in receipt of carers allowance, carers benefit or prescribed relatives allowance receive the respite care grant automatically, without having to apply for it. The same applies where a constant attendance allowance is in payment. Payment is made on or after the first Thursday in June of the year to which the payment refers.

Budget 2005 extended entitlement to the Grant to all full-time carers irrespective of means or contribution record but subject to certain conditions relating to the need for and the provision of full-time care and attention. A section was set up in my Department to process applications from people in this newly entitled category.

The grant in respect of 2006 is payable to people who meet the qualifying conditions on Thursday 1 June 2006 and is payable on or as soon as practicable after that date.

To date in 2006, the grant has been paid to 26,000 people who are entitled to receive it automatically without having to apply. Applications for the 2006 grant from those not entitled to receive it automatically by virtue of their primary payment, are being solicited in two phases. Firstly, those who applied for and received the grant in 2005 have been written to enclosing a brief questionnaire to establish whether they continue to satisfy the conditions for receipt of the grant in 2006. On foot of this initiative, approximately 6,500 applications have been received to date. By its very nature, the receipt of a large volume of applications over a relatively short period puts pressures on the section processing applications and some delays in making payments ensue. However, the 6,500 applications have been cleared and grants have been paid to 5,444 successful applicants. Completed questionnaires continue to be received and these are being cleared on an ongoing basis.

Applications for the 2005 grant continue to be received and a number of applications for the 2006 grant have also been received from people who did not apply for the 2005 grant. Between the two, there are approximately 950 cases on hands and these are currently being processed. In addition, as the 2005 applications are processed, successful applicants are invited to apply for the 2006 grant.

The second phase of the campaign to identify those people who may be eligible for the Grant is currently underway in the form of a national awareness campaign to promote awareness of supports for carers, including the respite care grant. This campaign, which began last Sunday, 24 September, includes extensive advertising for this week on television, national and regional radio and in the national and regional print media. A LoCall telephone number, 1890 66 22 44, is provided which people can contact for further information.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1054: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent assistance will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30032/06]

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. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support, in the form of a weekly or monthly payment, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to decisions on individual claims.

The Executive has advised that it has received an application for rent supplement from the person concerned. However, the Executive was unable to make a decision on entitlement as the application form was not properly completed. The Executive has further advised that the person concerned should contact the local Community Welfare Officer to complete the application form so that her entitlement to rent supplement can be determined.