Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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104. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the assistance available for a person (details supplied) in County Laois to assist with school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44947/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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A recurring expense such as providing transport to college is not a matter for the Department as this not a once-off/unexpected cost.

However, if the family have an exceptional or unexpected cost at any time they can apply under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, for a single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. These payments are known as Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs).

There is no automatic entitlement to such payments. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the Department’s representative 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.