Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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29. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the assistances available to families having to bury a deceased indigent relative; the criteria used to decide on such benefit; the degrees of kinship that qualify for available assistance; if the personal means of that person is taken into account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12293/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, 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 €29 million for the ENP scheme in 2015.

An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses. In 2014, the Department supported approximately 3,000 applicants with financial assistance towards these costs, at a provisional cost of some €4.6 million.

An ENP is a means tested payment 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 deceased's family and that of the deceased person including any savings, property, insurance policies, etc. The Department official will also consider if a bereavement payment is available from any other source including former employer, credit union or trade union.

There are no specific requirements as regards degrees of kinship, each application is considered in light of the circumstances presented. The primary consideration is that there is an inability to pay the costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship.

Any person who considers that they have an entitlement to an ENP under the SWA scheme following a bereavement should contact the Department's Community Welfare Service.