Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The current social assistance payment for separated parents and widows/ers with children is the One Parent Family Payment (OFP). This payment is means tested and in the case of separated persons also dependent on the recipient having sought maintenance from their former spouse.

The weekly rate of payment is €197.80, with an additional €24 per qualified child. The payment can be made until a child is 18, or 22 if in full-time education.

A claimant is entitled to have earnings up to €146.50 disregarded for the purposes of the payment with half the balance of any earnings up to €400 disregarded as means (this will increase to €425 in May 2008). In addition, a claimant can offset up to €95.23 received in maintenance per week against rent or mortgage payments. Thereafter, half of any balance of weekly maintenance is assessed as means.

Parents earning more than this upper income limit may also be able to claim Family Income Supplement, which is a payment made to families at work on low income.

Widows/ers under the age of 66 and without children can claim widow's non-contributory pension, which is paid at the same rate as OFP. This payment is also subject to a means test.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the allowance social welfare recipients receive to cover communion or confirmation costs can be used to cover the cost of other religious ceremonies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9197/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There are no payments specifically to cover communion/confirmation costs or the cost of other religious ceremonies as such. However, under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a person whose means are insufficient to meet their needs may apply for the exceptional needs payment.

The scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Under the scheme, an exceptional needs payment may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. Recipients of an exceptional needs payment would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment.

There is no automatic entitlement to Exceptional Needs Payment. The determination on whether or not an exceptional needs payment should be paid, is based solely on the need of the individual and the circumstances of each individual case.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent support will be awarded to persons (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9259/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive has advised that it is awaiting the return of documentation from the persons concerned.

A decision will be made on the application for rent supplementation as soon as the persons concerned contact the community welfare officer and provide the relevant documentation.