Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 154: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if once off or exceptional needs payment in payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [19687/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is determined by the Executive based on the particular circumstances of the case. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment.

The Dublin / Mid-Leinster Area of the Executive have advised that the person concerned called to the local Community Welfare Office (CWO) of the Executive in early June 2007. The person concerned discussed the possibility of obtaining exceptional needs funding for household items. The CWO advised the person concerned that he had already received two exceptional needs payments in June 2006 for household equipment and furnishing provisions when he moved to his present accommodation and had been subsequently refused further funding for similar items in September 2006. He was further advised that if he considered that he maybe entitled to additional support, he should make a formal application for an ENP.

To date the Executive have not received an application.