Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the criteria used to assess a person's eligibility for supplementary welfare allowance diet supplement; if the means threshold used in this assessment has not changed since 2007; if she will immediately address this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24808/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, a diet supplement may be paid to a person who is receiving a social welfare or health service executive payment where a special diet is prescribed as a result of a specified medical condition and they satisfy a means test.

The amount of diet supplement payable in individual cases is calculated by assessing one-third (single people) or one-sixth (couples joint weekly means) of the applicant's weekly income, excluding any amounts of benefit or assistance payable in respect of any child dependants against the cost of the relevant diet.

The last study into the cost of specialised diets was carried out in 2007. Accordingly when diet supplement payments for qualifying individuals are being calculated the social welfare rates for 2007 are used.

The Department is currently undertaking a review of the diet supplement scheme which will be completed in the coming months.