Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position regarding an application for arrears of jobseeker's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11743/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will make a statement on the fact that many young unemployed persons are refused permission to sign on because they do not possess a recognisable photographic identity such as a driving licence or passport, and that the Garda will not issue a photographic identity without one of the former. [11747/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of individual cases for each of the past five years where social welfare benefits were refused due to the fact that the applicant was unlawfully at large from prison or places of detention; the action taken as a result of such refusal; if the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform was informed; if any applicant refused applied more than once; and the dates of such application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11753/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to ensure that persons on social welfare and who are entitled to the fuel allowance will be assisted with the payment of their fuel bills which have been unusually high, arising from the recent weather conditions which continues to cause a serious drain on their resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11778/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department's role is to assist social welfare recipients with heating costs, both through their basic payments and through the fuel allowance scheme and the household benefits package of electricity and gas allowances. The national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive (HSE) payments with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person's normal heating expenses. It is not intended to meet those costs in full.

Fuel allowance is payable for 32 weeks a year. The standard allowance is €20 a week while the rate in smokeless zones is €23.90 a week. The scheme benefits almost 318,000 people a year at an estimated cost of €217 million in 2009. Electricity and gas allowances under the household benefits package, are payable throughout the year to almost 380,000 pensioners, people with disabilities, and carer households towards their heating, light and cooking costs at an estimated cost of €200m in 2009. The electricity allowance covers standing charges plus VAT and up to 2,400 units of electricity in each billing period.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, administered by community welfare officers, can be used to assist people in certain circumstances with specific heating needs due to infirmity or a particular medical condition. Heating needs can also be met under the exceptional needs payments provisions of the scheme where a person is unable to meet such needs out of his/her resources. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment.

Since January 2010, community welfare officers have made a total of 3,840 payments at a cost of €908,000 under the exceptional needs payment scheme to assist people with increased gas, ESB and other fuel costs arising from the recent adverse weather conditions. Assistance will continue to be provided towards the payment of heating bills for those in need. The exceptional needs payments scheme is considered to be the appropriate response to heating needs arising from the recent cold weather. Community welfare officers are best placed to deal with the situation having local knowledge and taking individual circumstances into account.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will arrange for an extension of the fuel allowance for an additional month, due to the hardship caused to many elderly persons in particular, as a consequence of the sustained weather conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11779/10]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department's role is to assist social welfare recipients with heating costs, both through their basic payments and through the household benefits package with fuel, electricity and gas allowances. These schemes have been improved significantly in recent years. The national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive (HSE) payments with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person's normal heating expenses. It is not intended to meet those costs in full.

Fuel allowance is now payable for 32 weeks and benefits over 318,000 people at an aggregate cost of €217m million in 2009. The payment rate is now €20 per week or €23.90 for recipients living in designated smokeless areas. Electricity and gas allowances under the household benefits package, are payable throughout the year to over 380,000 pensioners, people with disabilities, and carer households towards their heating, light and cooking costs at an estimated overall scheme cost of €200m in 2009. The electricity allowance covers standing charges plus VAT and up to 2,400 units of electricity in each billing period.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, administered by community welfare officers, can be used to assist people in certain circumstances with specific heating needs due to infirmity or a particular medical condition. Heating needs can also be met under the exceptional needs payments provisions of the scheme where a person is unable to meet such needs out of his/her resources. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment. Since January 2010, community welfare officers have made a total of 3,840 payments at a cost of € 908,000 under the exceptional needs payment scheme to assist people with increased gas, ESB and other fuel costs arising from the recent adverse weather conditions. Assistance will continue to be provided towards the payment of heating bills for those in need.

The exceptional needs payments scheme is considered to be the appropriate response to heating needs arising from the recent cold weather. Community welfare officers are best placed to deal with the situation having local knowledge and taking individual circumstances into account. Improvements to the fuel allowance scheme, such as an increase in the rate of payment or an extension of the duration of the fuel season, would have considerable cost implications. Paying fuel allowance for an extra four weeks in 2010 at current payment rates would cost an additional €28m, bringing total annual expenditure on the scheme to some €245m. Any changes to the scheme will be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of resources available for improvements in social welfare payments generally.