Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 304: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of Irish citizens who have been refused supplementary welfare allowance over the past 12 months for failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition. [34483/10]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Social Protection in relation to Irish citizens who have been refused supplementary welfare allowance over the past 12 months for failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition, the number of these that were offered a ticket back to the country they previously resided in; and the number of such offers that were taken up and the number refused. [34484/10]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 315: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of Irish citizens refused supplementary welfare allowance based on failure to satisfy the habitual residence condition who appealed this decision to the social welfare appeals office over the past three years; the number of these appeals that were successful and the number rejected. [34487/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 304, 305 and 315 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on behalf of my Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). It is not possible to supply statistics on the number of claimants who were refused SWA on habitual residence grounds over the last twelve months as these statistics are not maintained by the various HSE areas. Details from the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) on the number of appeals on SWA scheme relating to habitual residence conditions are given in the table attached. SWAO do not maintain statistics on the nationality of appellants in any appeal cases.

Responsibility for assisting persons who wish to return to their home country is a matter for the Department of Justice and Law Reform.