Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1147: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will arrange to thoroughly re-examine an application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork to the Southern Health Service Executive for supplementary welfare allowance in order to meet their additional heating needs; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this application has been refused on appeal and that the applicant has been in very ill health with multiple medical problems for a long number of years and has a supply of oxygen at home at all times which is constantly in use; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that both the applicant and their spouse are dependent on social welfare payments and that they have been refused on the grounds that they are over the income limit and should be able to meet the heating costs themselves; and if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that they have multiple demands on their social welfare payments each week and that the applicant is most genuine and deserving and should not be deprived of this source of financial support. [1437/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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If a recipient of a social welfare or Health Service Executive (HSE) payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition which he/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 under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. In addition, legislation also provides for a single payment — known as an exceptional needs payment — to be made to help meet essential, once-off exceptional expenditure. Both types of payment are subject to a means test.

The Southern Area HSE has advised that the person concerned initially applied for a heating supplement in February 2005. The application was refused in February 2005 and subsequently on appeal in July 2005 because the household income is considered adequate to meet their needs in this case.

The Southern Area HSE Executive has advised that the person concerned re-applied for a heating supplement in September 2006. The application was refused in September 2006. The person concerned was advised of his right to appeal and was requested to provide any additional details of his exceptional heating needs. The Executive has advised that the decision of the community welfare was upheld by the HSE Appeals Office in November 2006.

I understand that the Executive has written to the person concerned advising of entitlements under the supplementary welfare scheme. It is open to the person concerned to again make application for a supplement if their circumstances have changed since they last applied.