Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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106. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of funeral assistance grants paid out over the past five years; the number refused, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33119/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department can make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income.

An application can be made under the Additional Needs Payment scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where there is an inability to pay these costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship.

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.

Table 1 shows the Number of Additional Needs Payments awarded for Funeral and Burial expenses by county from 2020-2024.

Table 2 shows the number of Additional Needs Payments disallowed for Funeral and Burial expenses by county from 2022-2024. Statistics on the number of Additional Needs Payments disallowed are not available for 2020-2021.

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

Table 1 – Additional Needs Payments for Funeral and Burial expenses awarded by county from 2020-2024

Table 2 - Additional Needs Payments disallowed for Funeral and Burial expenses from 2022-2024

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.