Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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62. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to change the process of reviewing payments under the exceptional needs payment, even though they are not a primary payment, to the same appeal process as other social protection payments, where it goes to an appeal and an oral hearing can be provided, given that some serious cases are being refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11808/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 €30.3 million for the scheme in 2016.

ENPs are 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 case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment or predetermined amounts under the different categories of ENPs.

Legislative provisions set out in Section 323 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, provide that determinations made by designated persons in relation to claims for ENPs can be reviewed by a SWA reviewing officer. The reviewing officer, who is at a more senior level and is independent of the original decision, undertakes a full review of the application. The reviewing officer may seek further information or details from the applicant as part of this process.

There are no plans to amend these legislative provisions. If the Deputy has concerns about the decision in relation to a particular case he should provide me with the details and I will have the case examined by the Department.