John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an application for financial assistance towards travel costs to attend hospital will be granted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford. [29701/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The community welfare service (CWS), and the community welfare officers providing it, formally transferred to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) from 1 October 2011. The service and the staff are now part of the DSP. Under the supplementary allowance scheme (SWA) an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is determined based on the particular circumstances of the case. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or HSE payment. The Department's representative administering SWA has refused an exceptional needs payment in this case and has advised the person concerned of his right to appeal the decision to the relevant appeals office.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Social Protection, further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 28 September 2011, the current or expected position in respect of an application for back-to-education allowance in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29713/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The person concerned has applied for the back to education allowance (BTEA) in respect of a BTEC Higher National Diploma which is classified as a third level course in accordance with BTEA guidelines. As the person concerned has not been in receipt of a qualifying payment for 234 days he does not satisfy the conditions for receipt of BTEA (third level option).