Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

587. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding a weekly payment or supplementary welfare payment in the case of a person (details supplied); if a weekly payment can be maintained given that they have no other source of income and have dependent children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10455/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As previously outlined in Dáil Question No. 519, payment of a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) in the case of the person concerned ceased on 23/12/2020 and is currently suspended pending the provision of a current Irish Residence Permit (IRP) formerly known as a GNIB card. This permit is required to verify continued entitlement to JA.

The person concerned applied for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment on 13/01/2021 and this claim is also pending the provision of a current IRP.

Whilst receipt of this documentation is pending, the person concerned has been receiving weekly Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) with effect from 08/01/2021.

On 01/02/2021 the person concerned submitted to my Department written confirmation from the Immigration Office that she does not currently have permission to reside in the State and that she was required to obtain a passport in order to renew her IRP. On the same date, my officials requested written confirmation from the person concerned that she has applied for a new passport through the relevant embassy together with 3 months up-to-date bank statements for all financial accounts held by her. To date this documentation has not been provided.

As the person concerned does not currently have permission to reside in the State and in the absence of any written confirmation of efforts to obtain a passport, the designated officer issued a letter of disallowance on 15/02/2021 advising that her payment will be withdrawn in 21 days if written proof of her efforts to obtain a passport are not provided.

To ensure that further ENPs can continue to issue, it will be necessary for the person concerned to contact the South African Embassy as a matter of urgency for the purposes of requesting a passport and to submit written confirmation of this to my officials in the Community Welfare Service.

For the convenience of the person concerned, contact details for the Embassy are as follows:

South African Embassy

Alexandra House

Earlsfort Centre

Earlsfort Terrace

Dublin 2

Tel No: 01 6615553

Email: Dublin.dha@dirco.gov.za

I trust this clarifies the matter.