Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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381. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments made under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme towards funeral expenses in excess of €1,500 per person, by county for 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16787/17]

Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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382. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position with regard to assistance towards funeral expenses in circumstances (details supplied); if he will consider an exceptional needs payment towards the full funeral expenses in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16788/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, my 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 €31.5 million for ENPs and urgent needs payments (UNPs) in 2017.

An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses. An ENP is a means tested payment 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 applicant and that of the deceased person including any savings, property, insurance policies, etc. The Department official will also consider if a bereavement payment is available from any other source including former employer, credit union or trade union.

In addition, the Department may provide for the burial of a person who has died and in respect of whose burial suitable arrangements are not otherwise being made. In such cases, the Department may meet all expenses necessarily incurred in the burial of a person. The Department may obtain repayment of those expenses from the estate of the deceased person or from any person who was liable to maintain the deceased person immediately before his or her death. The Deputy is advised that any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an ENP towards funeral and burial costs under the SWA scheme should contact the Department so that the specific circumstances can be examined in detail.

The tabular statement below contains the number of payments in excess of €1,500 paid under the ENP scheme in respect of funerals and burials in 2015 and 2016 on a county basis.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement: Number of ENP payments in excess of €1,500 in respect of Funerals and Burials, 2015-2016