Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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1007. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications and appeals for an exceptional needs payment made by persons in County Clare; the number of applications refused; the number allowed following an appeal in each of the years 2018 to 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15153/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Applications for Exceptional Needs Payments are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme  administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department .

The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made 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 payments target those most in need of assistance.

Statistics are maintained on the number of applications awarded under the ENP (exceptional needs payments) scheme. Statistics are not maintained on the number of applications received or the outcome of the applications. 

Determinations made by Designated Persons in relation to claims made under Sections 200, 201 and 202 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005, i.e. Allowances-in-kind, Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payments, can be reviewed by a SWA Reviewing Officer under Section 323 of that Act.

Determinations made by Designated Persons in relation to claims made under Sections 196, 197 and 198 of the Social Welfare ( Consolidation Act ) 2005 i.e Basic SWA and all Supplements, can be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office under Section 311 of that Act.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.