Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 299: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9 will be assisted. [16665/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE), provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.

Maintenance payments in respect of a spouse and/or dependent children are assessable as means for rent supplement purposes. Up to €95.23 a week is assessable in full. This amount is already disregarded in the assessment of means for a primary social welfare payment, including One Parent Family payment. The first €75 a week of maintenance in excess of €95.23 can be disregarded in full in the assessment of means for rent supplement purposes with a further disregard of 25% of any additional maintenance.

The Executive has advised that following a routine review of the rent supplement claim of the person concerned, it became aware that she is in receipt of maintenance payments of €75 per week. The Executive has requested that the person concerned provide documentary evidence to indicate the amount and duration of this maintenance payment. No adjustment has been made to the rent supplement in payment pending a response. The person concerned will be advised of the decision of the community welfare officer in due course and of her right of appeal against that decision to a designated appeals officer of the Executive.