Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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275. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason for his signing of SI 71/2017 (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) (Amendment) (No. 1) (Diet Supplement) Regulations 2017; his views on whether there is a need to restore the terms of the diet supplement scheme to pre-2014 terms and to reopen the scheme for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25387/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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294. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans regarding the reinstatement of diet supplements for persons suffering from coeliac disease or throat cancer. [25844/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 294 together.

Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. There are currently 3,200 in receipt of the diet supplement of diet supplement at a cost of €4.6 million in 2017.

Following the outcome of a review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute commissioned by the Department during 2013, the scheme has been closed to new applicants from 1 February 2014. This independent research showed that the average costs across all of the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme can be met from within one third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the SWA rate which was then paid at €186 per week. The weekly rate of SWA has recently increased to €191 further to Budget 2017. The diet supplement scheme was discontinued for new applicants on the basis of this evidence and I have no plans to reverse this decision.

Existing recipients continue to receive the diet supplement at the current rate of payment for as long as they continue to have an entitlement to the scheme or until their circumstances change. This measure ensured that nobody was immediately worse off by the closure of the scheme.

The weekly increase provided in Budget 2017 delivers on the commitments as outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government – to increase the State Pension and to support an increase for people with disabilities. For this reason arrangements were put in place (by way of S.I. No. 71 of 2017)so that the effect of the Budget 2017 increase on weekly social welfare payments will not impact on the payment of diet supplement to existing customers.

In cases of particular hardship, officials continue to have the legislative power to award a SWA payment in cases of exceptional need. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to financial support should contact their local Community Welfare Service who may be able to offer assistance.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.