Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1346: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons refused social welfare benefits by a deciding officer of first instance on the stated grounds of a failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition; and the number of successful appeals against such decisions in 2009 and to date in 2010. [33737/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 1347: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons refused social welfare benefits by a deciding officer of first instance on the stated grounds of a failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition in 2009 and to date in 2010. [33738/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1346 and 1347 together.

From the records available, the number of claims that were disallowed payments, based on the failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition in 2009 was 10,582 and details are set out in the table below. The complete data for 2010 are not available due to industrial action in the earlier part of the year. The following table sets out the yearly breakdown by scheme.

It is open to any customer who is not satisfied with the decision on their claim to appeal that decision. However, information on the number of these cases that were overturned on appeal is not readily available.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 1352: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the degree of consultation that has taken place with his Department in relation to the setting of guidelines by the Department of the Environment and Local Government for local authority differential rent schemes; if he has offered any assessment to the Department of the Environment and Local Government in relation to the implication of changes to differential rent schemes for the interaction between the rent supplement scheme and the rental accommodation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33748/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The determination of rents payable under the local authority differential rent scheme and the income to be assessed for this purpose is the responsibility of the relevant local authority and is subject to guidelines, as laid down by my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The Department continues to work closely with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on a number of matters which are relevant to both Departments including the differential rents scheme and the interaction between the rental accommodation scheme and the rent supplement scheme.