John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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570. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the measures taken to ensure that women experiencing homelessness due to domestic violence are not adversely affected by the right to reside test and the habitual residency condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41608/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department provides a range of income supports, including the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA). This scheme is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it 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. Entitlement to SWA is conditional on satisfying the habitual residence condition with some exceptions. SWA can consist of a basic primary weekly payment and/or a weekly/monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses a person may not be able to meet, including rent supplement. It can also consist of a once-off payment to help with the cost of any exceptional needs.

Under the 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 scheme also provides for the payment of urgent needs payments (UNP). ENPs and UNPs, unlike other payments under SWA, are not subject to the habitual residence condition. There is no automatic entitlement to these payments which 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, including those in a domestic violence situation, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

Where a claimant’s safety and wellbeing are at risk due to domestic violence, Department officials administering the SWA scheme have discretionary powers to expedite the award of a payment to the person in question. In cases where a victim of domestic violence does not have a right to reside, ENPs can be considered while the victim takes the necessary steps to regularise their status with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS).

The overall responsibility for the response to homelessness rests with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and the local authorities.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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571. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of financial assistance for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41620/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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On the basis of new information received, relating to the EU insurance record of this person, he now has sufficient PRSI contributions recorded to qualify for treatment benefit. Notification will now be sent to him advising that he qualifies for medical appliance benefit, and that payment will issue to his hearing aid supplier.