Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 721: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid out in rent allowance by the Health Service Executive south between the years 2005 to date in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1351/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There follows for your information a table showing expenditure on Rent Supplement in the HSE South area from 2005 to date.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 722: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 116 of 22 November 2007, the reason his Department have failed to address the issue of arrears of €2,000 in respect of rent which can only be resolved by means of a once-off payment to meet their exceptional needs; if he will address this aspect of the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1543/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 747: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if an exceptional needs payment in respect of rent arrears will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1642/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 722 and 747 together.

Under the terms of 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.

In the case of the person concerned, the Dublin / Mid-Leinster Area of the Executive have advised that they currently have no request for an ENP.

The Executive have further indicated that the person concerned, was advised by the Community Welfare Officer (CWO) in October 2007, to contact the local Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) to discuss the matter in order that an appropriate budgeting strategy could be implemented.

MABS provides assistance to persons who are over-indebted and who need help and advice in coping with their debt problem.