Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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598. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount paid out of the humanitarian assistance scheme in each of the years 2010 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11629/18]

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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599. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the average waiting times for payment under the humanitarian assistance scheme in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11630/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 and 599 together.

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, my Department has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding under the humanitarian assistance scheme.

The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme is to provide income-tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair. The scheme is demand led and expenditure for the period from 2010 to 2018 to date is approximately €6 million. A yearly breakdown of this expenditure is provided in the attached tabular statement.

Statistics are not maintained on the average waiting times for payment; however I can assure the Deputy that supports are provided to those affected as swiftly as possible given the emergency nature of these situations. Officials in my Department’s Community Welfare Service closely monitor the situation on the ground and engage with the relevant local authorities and other agencies to ensure a co-ordinated and immediate response.

Emergency income support payments to cover essential items such as food, clothing and personal items are quickly issued in the immediate aftermath of the event. Supports towards the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items may take longer as it is not until the flood water abates and houses dry out that the full extent of the damage to homes becomes known. The longer term supports covering remedial works such as plastering, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting can take several months before this stage of the response is completed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Expenditure under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme 2010 – 2018 (end of February)

*2016 Outturn is provisional