Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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311. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the degree to which adequate resources continue to be made available to his Department to meet exceptional needs payment requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3222/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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315. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which community welfare services remain readily accessible in all areas throughout the country with particular reference to meeting out of hours and emergency needs when necessary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3226/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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320. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons in receipt of a basis supplementary social welfare payment; the extent to which the numbers dependent on such payment has fluctuated in each of the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3231/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 311, 315 and 320 together.

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme 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 who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic primary weekly payment and/or a weekly/monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, including rent, as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs). The Government has provided some €378 million for the SWA scheme in 2017 including €85.4 million for basic SWA and €31.5 million for ENPs & UNPs in 2017.

The SWA schemes are subject to a means test and are demand led. There has been a reduction in the numbers receiving support through the SWA schemes which can be attributed to the overall improvement in the economy, improvements in administration and policy changes in recent years. Claim processing times have improved with the introduction of the Intreo centres and establishment of integrated decisions teams which has reduced recourse to basic SWA payments. For example, decisions on jobseekers allowance and benefit applications are now processed almost immediately where all the supporting information is provided. The following tabular statement provides details of the number of basic SWA recipients at year end for the past five years, 2012-2016.

The Department may make a single 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. Although ENP expenditure has reduced in recent years, the scheme is demand led and continues to provide assistance to those with exceptional needs 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. Provisional expenditure for 2016 is €32 million, showing that expenditure under the scheme is stabilising in recent years in line with the improvement in the economy.

The ENP guidelines issued to staff in 2012 and 2013 have contributed to more streamlined and consistent approaches being taken to applications across the country. The guidelines do not affect the statutory discretion available to officers administering the scheme in issuing an ENP to assist an individual or household in any particular hardship situation which may arise. People who consider that they require an ENP should contact the local officials in the Community Welfare Service administering the scheme.

People claiming supports under the SWA scheme generally only interact with the Department on an occasional basis, for example, when seeking an exceptional needs payment or in claiming additional supports such as rent supplement. The availability of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) during normal office hours is therefore sufficient for general day to day requirements. CWS services are delivered through Intreo Centres and some 180 clinics nationwide.

However, in response to emergency situations such as those caused by severe weather events, local management assesses the response required to ensure that supports are provided to those affected as swiftly as possible. This may include provision of emergency or out of hours services and may be supplemented by facilitating clients with individual appointments and making house calls.

I trust that this clarifies the issues raised for the Deputy.

Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients 2012 to 2016

Note:Direct provision allowance recipients are included under Basic SWA until 2014.