Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 331: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved and paid domiciliary care allowance [41704/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on 16th September 2010. This application together with medical reports has been forwarded to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for a medical opinion on the case. Upon receipt of this opinion a decision will issue to the customer. Currently it takes eight weeks to process an application.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a matter (details supplied) [41716/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Rent supplement is paid to people living in private rented accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources. One of the conditions to qualify for rent supplement is that a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and the person is deemed by the relevant local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support.

In all other cases, a person who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by the local housing authority in the area where claim to rent supplement is made (and the person intends to reside). Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement.

The other conditions for the scheme include a habitual residence test and a means test. The person in question should contact their local community welfare officer who will offer advice in relation to specific entitlements.