Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

602. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the rule which saw foster parents unable to access child benefit for six months as laid out in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 SI No. 859 of 2007 have been reviewed; if so, when; if not, if she will consider reviewing them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52731/21]

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

As the Deputy will be aware supports for foster parents are a matter for Tusla and the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth.

Tusla provide a Foster Care Allowance (FCA) to foster parents in respect of each foster child in their care. This is currently paid at €325 per week for each child under 12 and €352 per week for each child over 12. The FCA is paid regardless of income or means and it is not assessed as means for the purposes of any social welfare payment.

In addition, Tusla offers strong support structures to assist the child, carer and family during the fostering term. Tusla also provides training for the carer or family, on-going liaison with social workers, insurance and a medical card for the child in care.

Article S159 (8) of Statutory Instrument 142 of 2007 provides that after six months a foster carer may apply to receive Child Benefit in respect a foster child or children in their care. This approach has been adopted because in many circumstances the birth parents of the child don't stop receiving the child benefit for their child immediately on the child being taken into care, but only after six months of the child being in care. These arrangements accommodate situations whereby a child might be taken into foster care temporarily and be returned to their birth parent(s) after a short period of time and thus it helps maintains the important link between the birth parent and their child.

Overall, I am satisfied that the current provisions regarding the arrangements for transferring Child Benefit to foster carers are appropriate and I do not have any plans to amend these arrangements at this time.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

603. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide information (details supplied) in relation to a social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52759/21]

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

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.

The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Statistics are not maintained on the average waiting times for Basic SWA payments to be processed in Co Kerry. Nationally, the average time to award for Basic SWA in September was one week, and 93% of claims were awarded within one week.

Table 1 below shows the number of Basic SWA recipients in Co Kerry at the end of each year for period 2018-2020 and at the end of September 2021.

It should be noted that other supports under the SWA scheme can consist of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs).

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table 1: Basic SWA recipients in Co Kerry