Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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553. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to recognise fibromyalgia as a condition under which sufferers are entitled to disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9908/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. Entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability itself but on the extent to which a person’s capacity to work is restricted by illness or disability.

In all cases a deciding officer of my Department makes a decision in line with the provisions specified in the relevant social welfare legislation including supporting medical evidence supplied by the applicant and taking into account the opinion of the Department’s Medical Assessor.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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554. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered removing the rule with regard to the supplementary welfare allowance and the general 30-hour eligibility rule given that many low- and middle-income households are struggling with the rising cost of living and that this fund is intended to be available to those who are facing financial difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9937/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) is a demand led scheme acting as a safety net within the overall social welfare system to provide assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. The maximum basic weekly rate of payment from SWA is €206. There are increases available on this rate for adult and child dependents, where applicable.

A number of client categories are specifically excluded in legislation from receiving assistance under the SWA scheme. These include people in full-time work and people in full-time education.

Where a person has commenced employment and is awaiting wages, basic SWA can be paid up to a maximum period of 30 days. Employees with children on low incomes are eligible to apply for to my Department for assistance under the Working Family Payment Scheme.

For persons dependent on income support payments from this department and/or for those working on low incomes, under the SWA scheme a supplement can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. In addition, officers can make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. Decisions on ENPs and SWA supplements 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.

People in full time employment of 30 hours or more per week, under the minimum wage structure, exceed the SWA basic weekly rate while excluded from some SWA schemes, are eligible to seek assistance in the form of an Urgent Needs Payment under the scheme.

Anyone seeking to make an application for a payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance schemes should contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre. There is also a national Income Support Helpline in place - 0818-800024 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter.