Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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323. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the efforts being made by his Department to counter the rising costs of baby formula recognising the necessity of the product for many woman and babies where breastfeeding may be an unviable option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27029/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Matters related to social welfare payments are a matter for the Department of Social Protection.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.

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.