Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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161. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an emergency exceptional needs payment can be made in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26685/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There is a range of supports provided by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. These supports 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).

The Department may make an ANP to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) and Urgent Needs Payments (UNPs), and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary. ANPs are administered by Designated Persons (DP) in the CWS considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.

Departmental records show that the person concerned has not made an application for assistance under the SWA scheme. If the person is experiencing financial difficulties, they can apply for assistance by completing a SWA1 form and providing all relevant documents in support of their application. For convenience, an application pack has been posted to the person concerned. On receipt of a completed application form and supporting documentation, the claim will be assessed, and the person will be advised of the outcome in writing. Alternatively, if the person concerned has a verified MyGovID account they can apply for an ANP at www.MyWelfare.ie.

Further information on all of my Department’s schemes and payments is available at www.gov.ie.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a one-parent family payment will be paid in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26688/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for the administration and payment of a range of supports to assist an eligible person who is parenting alone including the One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment, described below:

• One-Parent Family Payment is a payment for parents under 66 years who are parenting without the support of a partner and whose youngest child is under 7 years of age.
• Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is a is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme which a person may qualify for if they do not live with a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and their youngest child is between 7 and 14 years old.