Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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644. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments made in each of the past five years to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8438/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.  An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time. 

In total €38.8 million has been provided for ENPs and UNPs in 2019.  The tabular statement below shows the number of ENPs and UNPs made in the years 2014-2018 and to date in 2019.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement

Number of ENPs and UNPs 2014-2019