Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the implementations for direct provision in respect of asylum seekers can also allow those individuals to be considered for assistance from the Department of Social and Family Affairs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16068/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision. Asylum seekers in direct provision avail of free full board accommodation with no utility or other costs associated with that accommodation. The Direct Provision allowance, detailed below, seeks to reflect the value of these services to the asylum seeker.

In addition to meeting basic living costs, a Direct Provision allowance of €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child is paid by Community Welfare Officers (CWO's) operating under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. On 1 May 2004, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs introduced an Habitual Residency Condition which prohibited certain social welfare payments — child benefit or lone payment allowance, for example — to a number of non-qualifying groups including asylum seekers. It continues to be open to any asylum seeker to apply to Community Welfare Officers for assistance for a particular once-off need by way of an exceptional needs payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.