Written answers

Thursday, 3 February 2022

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Payments

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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33. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of supplementary welfare payments that have been made under the heading of disability services or equipment provision in 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022. [5355/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The exceptional needs payment scheme is demand led. 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.

For example, the payment could be for costs such as travel to medical appointments, necessary temporary accommodation while a family member is in hospital, and clothing or other hospital requirements.

While statistics are maintained on the number of payments made under the scheme, unfortunately it is not possible to identify payments made to persons requesting assistance with disability services or equipment provision. Disability services and the provision of equipment to persons with additional needs is a matter for the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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