Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 475: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason rent supplement was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if a fresh application can be submitted. [22746/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The Executive has advised that rent supplement was refused on the basis that the person concerned was not in a position to afford the rent at the commencement of the tenancy in question. He was in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance at that time. Under Article 9 (2) (b) (i) (1) of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 412 of 2007) it is a condition of a person's entitlement to rent supplement that they "could reasonably have afforded the rent at the commencement of the tenancy".

The person concerned appealed against the decision on his rent supplement claim to an Appeals Officer of the Executive but that appeal was unsuccessful. He subsequently appealed to the Chief Appeals Officer of the Department of Social and Family Affairs but that appeal was also unsuccessful. He was notified of this decision on 17 February 2009. If the circumstances of the person concerned have changed, it is open to him to make a new application for rent supplement.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 476: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive jobseeker's benefit. [22747/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A Deciding Officer disallowed the jobseeker's benefit claim of the person concerned from 20 April 2009 on the grounds that he is not available for work and not unemployed as he has a fixed contract for 24 hours work per week with an employer. He has appealed this decision and his file is being forwarded to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on changing the scheme of household benefits in order that a person (details supplied) would be eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22777/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A person under age 70 must satisfy one of the following conditions in order to qualify for the household benefits package. They must either reside alone, or with a qualified adult and/or dependent child(ren) under age 18 or up to age 22 if in full-time education. The person concerned does not qualify for the household benefits package as a member of the household is aged over 22 and not in a receipt of a qualifying payment. There are no plans to change the qualifying conditions for the scheme at this time.