John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 365: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the Health Service Executive has withdrawn a heating and footwear allowance from a person (details supplied) in County Limerick despite the fact that they are in receipt of an invalidity pension and their spouse is receiving carers allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14814/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the HSE, 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.

The Mid-Western Area of the Executive has advised that the person concerned is in receipt of a monthly heating supplement which has not been withdrawn. Additionally the person concerned is in receipt of a monthly diet supplement. He was refused an ENP for footwear in November 2007, as it was deemed that evidence of an exceptional need had not been displayed. The Executive has stated that he was notified of the decision and advised of their right to appeal the decision to the Executive's Appeals Office.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 366: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of households nationally, and in Dublin 15, in receipt of a rent supplement payment; the cost to the Exchequer of the rent supplement scheme nationally and in Dublin 15, for the years 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008; and the number of recipients of rent supplements nationally, and in Dublin 15, in the categories of single adults, couples with no children, lone parents, households with one child, households with two children, households with three or more children and households where all members of the household are non-Irish nationals. [14837/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive.

A table follows showing the number of rent supplement recipients and expenditure for 2006, 2007 and 2008. Data on expenditure on rent supplement in the Dublin 15 area is not available.

A table also shows the number of non Irish recipients of rent supplement in 2008, nationally and in the Dublin 15 area. It is not possible to say that all members of a rent supplement recipient's household are either Irish or non Irish.

A breakdown of the number of recipients on rent supplement by household composition is not available.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the grant aid or financial assistance available to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14931/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned is not currently in receipt of a social welfare payment. In any event, as she already holds a primary degree and a Masters qualification which is level nine in the National Framework of Qualifications, that is, at post graduate level, she would not satisfy the qualifying conditions for inclusion under the back to education allowance scheme.