David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the policy and procedure for accessing emergency financial support for rental payments in private rental accommodation, while persons are awaiting assessment under the housing assistance payment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37192/15]

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 €27.9 million for the ENP scheme in 2015.

There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made 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.

Where an applicant is awaiting a decision in respect of an application for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and is unable to meet their rent payment, the applicant should engage in the first instance with the Local Authority. Policy in relation to the processing of and backdating entitlements under the HAP scheme is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.