Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if due consideration was given to the circumstances whereby jobseekers allowance was refused in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare whose spouse is employed but whose mortgage is on interest-only repayments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25583/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An application for jobseekers allowance from the person concerned was disallowed because his means were in excess of the scheduled limit on the basis of his wife's earnings. He may apply for mortgage interest supplement (which is means tested) to the community welfare officer at his local health centre in Kilmeague, Co. Kildare.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a bereavement grant might be payable in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25584/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A bereavement grant is a payment designed to assist families in dealing with death and funeral expenses. It is a once-off payment, based on PRSI contributions, made from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). Means tested exceptional needs payments may be available under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to those in need who have not made the required number of contributions to the SIF. To qualify for a bereavement grant, the person on whose insurance record the claim is based must have 156 PRSI contributions. Alternatively, they must have paid 26 PRSI contributions and a specified number of credited PRSI contributions.

The person concerned has insufficient PRSI contributions for payment of a bereavement grant, based solely on his Irish social insurance record.

Under EC Regulations, an application should be made to the Competent Authority where the insured person last paid a social insurance contribution. In this case, that is the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK as the person concerned has not paid PRSI in Ireland since 2003.