Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons who have been refused a social welfare payment on means test grounds in each of the past three years; the number of persons who were previously self-employed; the number of persons who have been refused a payment on the grounds of failure to comply with the habitual residential clause; the number of persons who have failed on medical or means grounds to qualify for carer's or respite care allowance; the number of persons who have been refused child benefit; the grounds for such refusal; the number of persons who have been refused old age or widows or widowers pension; the most common ground for such refusal; the number of persons who have been refused disability or sick benefit allowances or payments; the number of persons from other EU member states who have been refused social welfare payments here on whatever grounds; the number of such states with which this country has bilateral social welfare agreements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9034/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The statistical information requested by the Deputy is not readily available within the Department.

Ireland has Bilateral Agreements on Social Security with the UK, Austria and Switzerland. All three agreements are non-effective in so far as they have been superseded by EU Legislation following the entry of both the UK and Austria to the EU and an agreement between Switzerland and the EU that they would be covered by EU legislation in the area of Social Security. The Bilateral Agreement with the UK is still effective in so far as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are concerned as these Islands are not included within the scope of EU regulations on Social Security.