Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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1868. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing eligibility thresholds for SWA by 10%, 20%, 30% respectively, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44029/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

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, including the need presented and available resources, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.

The household income amounts published in relation to Additional Needs Payments are not an eligibility threshold. They are intended as a guide to assist persons who are in full time employment who may find themselves in financial difficulty and require assistance with essential expenses.

Guidelines issued to staff administering the scheme assist them in the decision making process and ensure consistency of service. However, they do not affect the discretion available to officers in issuing an additional needs payment to assist an individual or household in any particular hardship situation which may arise.

An Additional Needs Payment amount, which can have a wide range value, will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed.

For the reasons outlined above, it is not possible to provide an estimated cost of increasing eligibility thresholds for additional needs payments by 10%, 20% and 30% as assistance can be provided in all cases where the need cannot be met from existing resources.

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to Supplementary Welfare Allowance 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. In addition, applications for Additional Needs Payments can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie/.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.