Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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608. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments applied for in the past three years by county; the number that were successful in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14348/22]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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609. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments which have been applied for to assist with hearing costs since the beginning of 2022 by county; the number of these applications which were refused by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14349/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 608 and 609 together.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department 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. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time. Government has provided €45.75 million for the exceptional and urgent needs schemes in 2022.

The scheme is demand led and 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. The number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2019 to 2021 is set out in the table below.

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 hearing costs. Statistics are not maintained on the number of applications refused, including over the period 2019 to 2021. My Department is currently compiling more extensive statistics in relation to the number of applications made to the SWA schemes in 2022.  

I would encourage any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an exceptional or urgent needs payment to contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre. There is a national Income Support Helpline in place - 0818-800024 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement

Number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2019 - 2021