Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare allowance applications received in 2012; the number refused by community welfare officers; and the numbers appealed and upheld on appeal. [33271/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the "safety net" within the overall welfare system. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance to persons in need who do not qualify for welfare payments under any other social welfare scheme. The Government has provided almost €720 million for the various schemes under SWA in 2013. There are a number of schemes under the SWA heading including basic income support and/or a supplement in respect of certain living expenses a person may not currently be able to meet. The supplements available include payments to assist with rent, mortgage interest, heating, special dietary requirements, exceptional or urgent needs, and back to school expenses.

A total of 453,833 claims for supplementary welfare allowance were registered in 2012. Statistics are not maintained where the claim was subsequently refused. During 2012, a total of 4,264 supplementary welfare allowance appeals were decided by the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). Of these, 1,017 appeals were allowed, a further 142 were partially allowed and the remaining 3,105 appeals were disallowed in full by the SWAO. There is no right of appeal to the SWAO in respect of a decision made under the exceptional needs payment. These cases are reviewed by review officers within the community welfare service. Statistics are not maintained regarding the number of reviews undertaken or their outcome.