Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent support will be reinstated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; the progress of same in the past six weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25787/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The position remains as advised in Question No. 319 which I answered for the Deputy on 19 May 2009 and Question No. 150 which I answered for the Deputy on 18 June 2009.

The Executive has advised that there is no record of an appeal against the decision to discontinue payment of rent supplement to the person concerned. It remains open to this person to appeal against the decision to a HSE Appeals Officer.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when rent allowance will be awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26105/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The Executive has advised that it has requested documentation from the person concerned in relation to her claim to rent supplement. A decision on entitlement will be made when all the requested documentation has been received.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when a decision will be made on an application for farm assist for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [25643/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Social Welfare Inspector's report in this case has been completed and forwarded to a Deciding Officer for decision. That decision will be given without delay and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

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.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason that most children with autism and intellectual disabilities have been turned down for the domiciliary care allowance; if the qualification criteria for the allowance have been changed; the reason for such change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25690/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Of the first 249 applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance processed by the Department, 149 were refused and 100 awarded. Of those awarded, 12 children were specifically diagnosed with, Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome. Of those refused, 16 children were specifically diagnosed with one of these conditions.

Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. As such it is not possible to say if a child with autism or any other intellectual disability will qualify for a payment under the scheme. Each application is assessed on an individual basis taking account of the evidence submitted. The main change to the scheme since the transfer to the Department is that the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme is now a statutory scheme with the primary legislation provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008. Prior to the transfer the eligibility criteria for the scheme was set out by way of a Circular from the Department of Health and Children.

The Department uses a set of consistent and objective guidelines in determining the medical eligibility of children for the scheme. These guidelines were drawn up by a Group chaired by the Department's Chief Medical Advisor comprised of senior medical personnel from the HSE as well as eminent professionals in the areas of physical disabilities which affect children, and child psychiatry/psychology. All claims are assessed by designated Departmental Medical Assessors who have received special training in Human Disability Evaluation.

In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant may submit additional information and/or ask for the case to be reviewed by a different Medical Assessor specially designated for this task. Where a person is not satisfied with the decision of a Deciding Officer they may appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has had their supplementary welfare allowance withdrawn; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25697/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). It is a legislative qualifying requirement of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme that a person be habitually resident in the State unless the person is an EU worker or former worker.

The Executive has advised that the person concerned has been refused payment of supplementary welfare allowance and rent supplement as he is not deemed to be habitually resident in the State. If the person concerned is not satisfied with the decision of the Executive then he can appeal the decision to a HSE Appeals Officer.