Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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425. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing the weekly direct provision allowance for adults from €19.10 to €25, €30, €35 and €40; the cost of increasing the allowance paid in respect of children from €15.60 to €20, €25 and €30 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9808/17]

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 €3.7 million for the allowance in 2017.

There are approximately 2,800 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 costs, based on the current numbers, of increasing the weekly adult rate from €19.10 to €25.00, €30.00, €35.00, and €40.00; and of increasing the weekly child rate from €15.60 to €20.00, €25.00 and €30.00 is provided in the attached tabular statement.

Any increases to the rate of direct provision allowance would have to be approved by Government and considered in a budgetary context.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement:

Adult Rate Direct Provision Allowance and full-year cost of rate increase.

Child Rate Direct Provision Allowance and full-year cost of rate increase.