Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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452. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8101/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.

The ENP 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.

Applications for ENPs are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service.

According to the records of my Department, an application for financial assistance has not been received from the person concerned. For the convenience of the person, an ENP application pack was posted to her home address. When a completed form and all relevant supporting documentation has been received, the person’s application will be assessed, and she will be advised of the outcome in writing.

I trust this clarifies the matter.