Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 362: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way a person in County Mayo was assessed for jobseeker's allowance; the reason it took six weeks for their assessment to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8710/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned, who is self-employed in the construction industry, applied for jobseeker's allowance on 21 January 2008. A Deciding Officer assessed his weekly means at €385 and awarded the allowance to him at the weekly rate of €40.10 from 21 January 2008. A first payment, including arrears, issued to him on 25 February 2008.

The means assessment in this case is based on information supplied by the person concerned in relation to his earnings in 2006. It is open to him to provide my Department with more recent evidence of his earnings or to appeal the deciding officer's decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office and a form for this purpose has been issued to him.

Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Cavan can expect a decision on their application for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8764/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned applied for carer's allowance on 10 December 2007. The case has been referred to my Department's Medical Assessor to determine if the care recipient requires full-time care and attention. On completion of the necessary investigations a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These Officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 364: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been refused a clothing allowance under the supplementary welfare scheme. [8837/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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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.

The Southern Area of the Executive has advised that the person concerned has already received a number of exceptional needs payments in addition to a number of heating supplements. The person concerned was refused an ENP for clothing in January 2008, as it was deemed that evidence of an exceptional need had not been presented. The Executive has stated that the matter is currently under review with the Executive's Appeals Office and has advised that the person concerned will be notified of its decision in due course.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 365: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason rent supplement has been suspended for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8856/08]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 366: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if persons on community employment schemes have an entitlement to rent supplement; if so, the reason rent supplement was stopped for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8867/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 365 and 366 together.

The Health Service Executive has advised that the persons concerned are currently in receipt of a rent supplement of €598.13 per month and that the Executive's Appeals Office is to make a decision in relation to any arrears due. The persons concerned will be advised of the decision in due course.

Rent supplement is calculated to ensure that an eligible person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to his or her family circumstances, less a minimum contribution of €13 which each recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources. Many recipients pay more than €13 a week towards accommodation costs as they are also required to contribute a portion of any additional assessable means that they have over and above the appropriate basic supplementary welfare allowance rate.

The assessment of additional income of participants on a training course, such as the community employment scheme, has always been a feature of the rent supplement scheme. A person participating on a community employment scheme can continue to receive rent supplement, subject to satisfying the standard means assessment. Under improvements provided for in Budget 2007, where a person has additional income in excess of the standard weekly rate of supplementary welfare allowance, the first €75 of such additional income together with 25% of any additional income above €75, is disregarded for means assessment purposes. This ensures that those returning to work or participating in training schemes are better off as a result of taking up such an opportunity.