Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in view of correspondence (details supplied) he maintains that one parent family allowance should not be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15886/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned applied for One Parent Family Payment in February 2003 and April 2007. On each occasion her application was disallowed by Deciding Officers on the grounds that she failed to establish that she was a separated person within the meaning of the Social Welfare legislation. The person concerned appealed the decisions to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and, following oral hearings on 20 September 2006 and 8 January 2008, the Appeals Officers upheld the decisions. An Appeals Officers decision is final in the absence of new facts and fresh evidence. The letter submitted, by the Deputy, with this PQ does not provide any new facts or fresh evidence.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if an exceptional needs payment will be made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15889/08]

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. In the case of the person concerned, the Dublin/Mid-Leinster Area of the Executive have advised that they have no record of a request for an exceptional needs payment from her. It is open to the person concerned to approach the Executive should she wish to make an application for ENP support.