Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 425: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the entitlements a person is eligible for whilst their appeal for carer's allowance is being processed and as the carer's benefit has been withdrawn. [42609/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) which is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE), is designed to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State scheme. A number of categories are specifically excluded from receiving SWA i.e. people in full-time work, people in full-time education and people involved in trade disputes.

Apart from the excluded categories, anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residency condition and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can prove unemployment, or anyone who is awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare or HSE payment, may qualify for SWA. In addition, a person can also apply for payments such as rent supplement, diet supplement and exceptional needs payments under the SWA scheme.

In order to claim any payment under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a person should contact their local community welfare officer (CWO). While there is no automatic entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance, pending the receipt of another social welfare payment, the CWO may award SWA in any case where the circumstances of the case so warrant.