Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 485: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of asylum seekers and persons seeking humanitarian leave to remain, who are currently in receipt of a social welfare payment in addition to their direct provision allowance; if his Department will provide a breakdown by payment type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18631/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) 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. This cohort would include a number of persons who have made applications for leave to remain on, for example, humanitarian grounds. The direct provision allowance payment, detailed as follows, 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 (CWOs) operating on behalf 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 one parent family payment, for example — to a number of non-qualifying groups including asylum seekers. All persons applying for asylum from that date have been subject to the terms of the Habitual Residency Condition in respect of social welfare assessment.

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. Payments under this category cover once-off costs such as back-to-school clothing and footwear.

In addition to direct provision accommodation, the RIA operates a small number of 'self-catering' accommodation units where residents receive a higher rate of Supplementary Welfare Allowance through the Community Welfare Officer service, adjusted to take into account the benefit-in-kind of this accommodation which is rent free and free of utility and associated costs. This accommodation is specifically set aside for those with special needs, including special medical needs. As at 12 May 2008, there were 455 persons in such accommodation, comprising a number of family units and single persons to whom higher rates of SWA payment would apply. The full rate of SWA payment stands at €197.80 per week at the maximum personal rate (€131.30 for a qualified adult) with a €24 rate applying for a qualified child.

As at 12 May 2008, the RIA was providing accommodation to 6,994 persons in 63 accommodation centres across 22 counties. Of the 6,994 persons accommodated, 6,539 were accommodated in standard direct provision accommodation to which the direct provision allowance payment (i.e. €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child) would apply. Of these 6,539 persons, 4,416 were aged 18 years or older and would be entitled to payment at the adult rate while the remaining 2,123 would be entitled to payment at the child rate.

Persons in direct provision accommodation qualify for the direct provision allowance payment and can apply for exceptional needs payments. Both payments are administered by the Community Welfare service on behalf of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. As indicated, in accordance with the Habitual Residency Condition referred to above, asylum seekers who arrived in the State since 1 May, 2004 are not entitled to any other social welfare payment.