Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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410. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered the reintroduction of a diet allowance on supplementary welfare in view of the potential hardship this can cause to those on low incomes. [47869/22]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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422. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the high cost of alternative foods for those with allergies, especially those with dairy allergies; if she will ensure there is financial assistance provided to those who have allergies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48008/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 410 and 422 together.

Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet because of a specified medical condition.  There are currently approximately 1,320 people in receipt of diet supplement.

A review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute was commissioned by my Department during 2013.  The research showed that the average costs across all the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme could be met from within one-third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) rate, which was then paid at €186 per week (and is currently paid at €206 per week).  The diet supplement scheme was discontinued for new applicants from 1 February 2014 based on this evidence.

Recipients continue to receive the diet supplement at their existing rate of payment for as long as they continue to have an entitlement to the scheme or until their circumstances change.  This measure ensured that nobody was immediately worse off by the closure of the scheme.

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 scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Additional Needs Payments (ANPs). 

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 ANP to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.  Decisions on ANPs 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.

Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to financial support should contact their local Community Welfare Service for assistance.  

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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411. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to the disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47870/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66.  This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions. 

I can confirm that my department has not received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned. I have asked my officials to send an application form to her.

The weekly rate of DA payment depends on the amount of weekly means assessed.  The legislative provisions regarding DA state that means will be assessed from all income which the claimant or claimant’s spouse may reasonably expect to receive during the year following the date of their claim. 

I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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412. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current number of persons in receipt of disablement benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47878/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disablement Benefit is paid if a person loses certain physical or mental abilities as a result of their work, or while they were travelling to or from work. The number of recipients of Disablement Benefit by quarter from Q1 2020 to Q2 2022 are shown in the attached tabular statement.