Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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259. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the case of a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21027/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, a qualified child is defined as being either under the age of 18 years or over the age of 18 years if attending a course of study as described in section 148(3)(a). The children of the person concerned are being home schooled, and as such do not qualify for payment. The person concerned has been advised of his right to appeal the decision.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.

However, there is no automatic entitlement to these types of payments. ENPs are 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 case in order to ensure that the payment targets those most in need of assistance. An application for an ENP can be made by contacting the officer administering the SWA scheme in the Manorhamilton INTREO office.