Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in regard to the payment of supplementary welfare allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45876/08]

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 division of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Executive has advised that the person concerned is in receipt of basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance but has been asked to provide documentation to the Community Welfare Officer. This documentation has not been provided to date. The person concerned has been advised in correspondence which issued on 27 November 2008 that payment of basic supplementary welfare allowance will be suspended if the requested documentation has not been provided within a specified period.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 199: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason an unemployment benefit claim and rent allowance has been refused in the case of a person (details supplied) Dublin 8; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45877/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned made an application for Jobseeker's Allowance on 21 April 2008. Following a full investigation, the application was disallowed by a Deciding Officer on the grounds that the person concerned failed to establish that he was genuinely seeking employment. The person concerned appealed the decision of the Deciding Officer and an appeal was forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The appeal was disallowed on the basis that the person concerned had not made sustained and concentrated efforts to obtain employment.

The person concerned was in receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) and Rent Supplement while his Jobseeker's Allowance claim was pending. In August 2008 he was asked by the Community Welfare Officer to provide evidence of his efforts to obtain employment. No evidence was produced by the person concerned and he stated that he was a student in full-time education. Payment of SWA and Rent Supplement was terminated on the basis that students in full-time education are excluded from receiving assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in regard to payment of carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45878/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The claim for carer's allowance, by the person concerned, was refused by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 21 October 2008 on the grounds that the care recipient was not so invalided or disabled as to need full-time care and attention.

An appeal was opened on 25 November 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the documentation in the case and the Deciding Officer's comments on the grounds of the appeal.

On receipt of the Department's response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer for early consideration.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.