Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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365. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to provide the estimated full year cost in 2017, based on the projected number expected to access direct provision, of increasing the adult rate by €5 and the child rate by €5 in tabular format; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24053/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The direct provision allowance is a non-statutory payment administered by my Department on behalf of the Department of Justice and Equality to persons in the Direct Provision system. The Government has provided €3.6 million for the allowance in 2016.

The number of claimants for direct provision allowance is difficult to predict as it is a demand led scheme. Currently there are some 2,700 adults and 900 children residing in the system of direct provision in respect of whom the direct provision allowance is being paid. The full-year cost in 2017, based on the current numbers, of increasing both the weekly adult rate and the weekly child rate by €5.00 would be €936,000, as set out in the following tabular statement.

Any increases to payments administered by the Department can only be considered in a budgetary context.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement – Direct Provision Allowance