Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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539. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is any additional financial support available to a person who received a bereavement grant to assist them with the costs of a headstone; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36813/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €47.6 million for the scheme in 2013.

ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment.

The payment of a bereavement grant would not necessarily preclude payment of an ENP towards funeral or burial expenses if the circumstances so warrant. Persons who consider that they have an entitlement to an ENP should contact the local officials administering the scheme.