Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Habitual Residence Condition is a social welfare condition that a person must satisfy to receive a social assistance payment. Generally, International Protection Applicants who have not yet been granted protection will not qualify for social welfare payments that are subject to the Habitual Residence Condition. However, those who reside in, or are waiting for, accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services, receive the Daily Expenses Allowance in order to meet incidental, personal expenses.

International Protection Applicants are not permitted to leave Ireland without the permission of the Minister of Justice. Where my Department is made aware of an International Protection Applicant travelling out of the State, their payment is stopped.

Up until March of this year, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection were eligible for the full range of social welfare payments, provided they met the qualifying conditions. From March of this year, newly arriving Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection resident in Designated Accommodation Centres are entitled to a weekly allowance of €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child, so long as they remain in these Designated Accommodation Centres.

Any impact on a payment in respect of absence from the State depends on the conditions of the underlying scheme. Some social welfare payments, mainly contributory pensions and long-term benefits payable under the social insurance fund, are payable while the recipient is absent from the State. Other, mainly short-term and means tested payments, may be payable in respect of periods a person is temporarily absent from the State for up to two weeks subject to the qualifying conditions continuing to be met.

The numbers of International Protection or Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection leaving the state for travel are not counted or collated by my Department.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.