Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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536. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in processing an application for supplementary welfare in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9522/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department can 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. There is no automatic entitlement to these payments which 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 payments target those most in need of assistance.

According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for assistance with the cost of household items and furnishings for her current address with effect from 30/09/2021. Applications for 3 ENPs were processed, and the person concerned was awarded a total of €2,749 on 04/10/2021. There is no record of any outstanding ENP application in respect of the person concerned.

The person concerned is in receipt of a Disability Allowance, Household Benefits package, and fuel allowance payments from my Department.

I trust this clarifies the matter.