Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the funding available for supplementary welfare allowances from her Department in 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 and the estimate for 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48408/14]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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179. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the categories of payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, outlining the number of payments and the amount of payments for each category for 2012, 2013, and to date in 2014; if she will provide an estimate of the amount provided for 2015 under these headings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48424/14]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 179 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides a "safety net" within the overall social welfare system and provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. The types of payment available under the SWA scheme are:

-basic supplementary welfare allowance

-rent supplement

-mortgage interest supplement

-other supplements e.g. heating supplement, travel supplement

-exceptional needs payment (ENP) and urgent needs payments (UNP)

The following tabular statement provides details of expenditure and recipient numbers for SWA schemes from 2012 to 2014 and estimate provision for 2015.

(1) 2014 recipient numbers/number of payments refer to position at end of November. 2014 Expenditure figures refer to the Revised Estimate allocation.

(2) In 2015, the Estimate provision for Direct Provision Allowance (€3.5m) is separated from that of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance.

(3) In 2015, the rent supplement figure represents a reduction in excess of €20 million transferred to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).