Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has issued instructions restricting access or curtailing expenditure under the supplementary welfare code; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40013/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive. The Department has function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.

Subject to certain conditions, any person in the state whose means are insufficient to meet his or her basic needs may be statutorily entitled to assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The most recent circular which issued from the Department to the community welfare service advised of changes to the supplementary welfare allowance scheme as announced in Budget 2009 including increases in the rates of payment effective from January 2009. This circular also advised of the increase of €5 a week in the minimum contribution which rent or mortgage interest supplement recipients are expected to contribute from their own resources towards their accommodation costs. No other circulars have issued to the community welfare service advising of restrictions on access to, or curtailment of expenditure on, the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.