Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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517. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who applied for maternity benefit in 2021; the number who were granted maternity benefit and who were refused maternity benefit; the number who appealed being disallowed maternity benefit; the number of persons whose appeal was successful or disallowed in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11466/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the attached tabular statements

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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518. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who applied for illness benefit in 2021; the number who were granted illness benefit and who were refused illness benefit; the number who appealed being disallowed illness benefit; the number of persons whose appeal was successful or disallowed in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11467/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is included in the attached tabular statements

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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519. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the breakdown by county of supplementary welfare allowance applications in 2020; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reason given for the payments by county. [11480/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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520. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the breakdown by county of supplementary welfare allowance applications in 2019; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reason given for the payments by county [11481/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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521. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the breakdown by county for supplementary welfare allowance applications in 2018; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reason given for the payments by county [11482/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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522. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the breakdown by county for supplementary welfare allowance applications in 2017; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reason given for the payments by county [11483/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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523. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the breakdown by county for supplementary welfare allowance applications in 2016; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reason given for the payments by county [11484/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 519, 520, 521, 522 and 523 together.

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.  Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs). 

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. 

Rent supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.  The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.

The original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme (MIS) was to provide short-term support to eligible people who were unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which was their sole place of residence, due to temporary unemployment or loss of earnings. 

It should be noted that the mortgage interest supplement scheme was discontinued for new entrants from 1 January 2014.

Under the SWA scheme, a supplement can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’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.

Statistics are maintained on the number of applications awarded under the SWA scheme.  They have not been maintained on the number of applications refused over the period 2016-2021.

Table 1 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at year end 2016.

Table 2 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at year end 2017.

Table 3 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at year end 2018.

Table 4 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at year end 2019.

Table 5 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at year end 2020.

Table 6 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2016-2020.

Table 7 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs paid by category for 2016-2020.

Table 8 shows the expenditure by SWA scheme for 2016-2020.  A breakdown by county in not available.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table 1 - Basic SWA and Supplement recipients by county at year end 2016

Table 2 - Basic SWA and Supplement recipients by county at year end 2017

Table 3 - Basic SWA and Supplement recipients by county at year end 2018

Table 4 - Basic SWA and Supplement recipients by county at year end 2019

Table 5 - Basic SWA and Supplement recipients by county at year end 2020

Table 6 - The number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2016-2020

Table 7 - The number of ENPs and UNPs paid by category for 2016-2020

Table 8 - Expenditure by SWA scheme for 2016-2020