Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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66. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of a social welfare allowance heating supplement in County Louth from 2011 to 2015. [32611/15]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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67. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of a supplementary welfare allowance in County Louth. [32612/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme 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 Government has provided over €70 million for basic SWA in 2015. There are currently approximately 16,800 basic SWA recipients, of which 587 are based in County Louth.

Under the SWA scheme a heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances who have exceptional heating needs due to ill health or infirmity. There are currently almost 1,800 people in receipt of this supplement. Details of the number of heating supplement cases in County Louth for 2011 to 2015 are provided in the following tabular statement.

Recipients of SWA Heating Supplement in County Louth, 2011 to 2015