Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Clare was not assisted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20980/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of the Department 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.

The Mid-Western Area of the Executive has advised that the person concerned has recently applied for an exceptional needs payment and was given an application form to complete and return to the Community Welfare Officer. When the completed form is returned with the required information, a decision will be made on entitlement to an exceptional needs payment.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position with regard to an old age pensioner who is the holder of a valid travel pass, who sought to use the Dublin Bus Airlink and was informed that they are not entitled to travel on that service and when they subsequently sought to use a route 747 bus they were again told their travel pass could not be used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20567/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department operates the free travel scheme which provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as CIE, Luas and over 90 private transport operators. In addition, free travel pass holders can travel for free on cross border journeys between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Since April 2007, free travel customers aged over 66 can also avail of onward free travel within Northern Ireland under the all-Ireland free travel scheme.

Certain premium services operated by CIE, including the Dublin Bus Airlink service, are not covered by the free travel scheme. However, Dublin Bus operates a number of scheduled services to Dublin airport from various locations within the city on which the free travel pass can be used.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if it is her intention to facilitate the provision of social welfare payments through credit union accounts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20655/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department supports government policy which aims to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a world class payments environment in Ireland. Our payment strategy is designed to ensure that cost effective arrangements are in place for making payments to social welfare customers by using a range of payment options and to ensure that new payment facilities are made available to customers as they arise.

The current range of payment options offered by my Department to customers include payment to a local post office, bank or building society account and credit unions that have financial regulatory approval. Customers choose a particular payment option having regard to their own personal circumstances.

A list of credit unions to which payments are currently made is as follows.

List of Authorised Credit Unions

ASTI

Caherdavin & District

Cashel

Charleville

Coolock/Artane

Fermoy

Health Services Staffs

Mallow

Rathmore & District

St. Joseph's Aviation

St. Paul's Garda

Swords & District

Tallow Area

Thurles

Tipperary

Credit Unions — Independent Financial Institutions

Mullingar

Tullamore

Arklow

Waterford