Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the appeal by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 has been decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11091/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). SWA provides a safety net against poverty in that it gives a statutory entitlement to a minimum weekly income, based on criteria set out in legislation. Apart from a number of excluded categories, anyone in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs is entitled to assistance under the SWA Scheme. Under the legislation a number of categories are specifically excluded from receiving assistance, including people in full-time work, people in full-time education and people involved in trade disputes.

The Dublin/Mid-Leinster Area of the HSE has advised that the person concerned was in receipt of basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance from 15th November 2004 until 20th September 2006. As the person concerned commenced full-time education in September 2006 basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance payments ceased.

The person concerned ceased full time education on 23rd November 2006 again applied for Supplementary Welfare Allowance and was requested to provide information about his source(s) of income during the period of full time education.

The Dublin/Mid-Leinster Area of the HSE refused the persons claim as he failed to provide credible evidence of his source(s) of income during the period of full time education. The application was refused on appeal in February 2007.

The case subsequently appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. That appeal was also refused as the person failed to provide credible evidence of his source(s) of income.