John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a favourable decision will be made on the clothing and footwear allowance application of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31630/06]

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if rent allowance will be granted to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31898/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 416 together.

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) and the rent supplement scheme are administered on behalf of my Department by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

A person may qualify for payment of a back to school clothing and footwear allowance if he or she is in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment, is participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education or training course, and has household income at or below certain specified levels.

The Executive has advised that it has disallowed an application by the person concerned for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance as her total household income was above the prescribed EUR 336.50 limit for entitlement to the allowance in her case. It is open to her to appeal this decision to the designated appeals officer of the Executive.

To be eligible for rent supplement, an applicant must have a housing need that they are unable to meet either from their own resources or through accommodation available to them from another source, including local authority housing.

The Executive has advised that it refused a claim for rent supplement from the person concerned, on the basis that she does not have a housing need as she is currently housed in local authority accommodation. It is open to her to appeal this decision to the designated appeals officer of the Executive.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 404: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason for the delay in processing the rent supplement claim for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13. [32017/06]

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 Executive has confirmed that it has received an application for rent supplement from the person concerned. However, a delay in making a decision arose as the Executive were awaiting further information from the person concerned. The Executive has further advised that a decision on the rent supplement application will be made shortly and the person concerned will be notified of the position.