Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): Under the supplementary welfare
allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment
(ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be
expected to meet out of their weekly income. These ENP payments are a vital component of
the SWA scheme and link the income support function of the scheme with the wider welfare
role of the Department’s community welfare service.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENP’s are payable 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.
A review of the guidelines on Exceptional Needs Payments is currently being finalised in
the Department by a group made up of former community welfare service staff. One of the
recommendations emanating from this review was the need to address the different approaches
taken, in different areas, in relation to the payment of exceptional needs payments in respect
of religious ceremonies and to ensure that the SWA scheme is responding to a specific financial
need and not to the occasion. The Department has not cut payments in respect of religious
ceremonies but has recommended a maximum amount payable with a view to limiting any such
payments to those cases of significant hardship. The Department’s circular does not remove or
limit the discretionary powers provided to its designated officers in Social Welfare legislation
to help individuals in need.
The Department also recently clarified the circumstances under which payments should be
made toward the furnishing of local authority accommodation. This clarification will not impact
the customer in any way. Instead of the Department furnishing these units it will, in certain
circumstances, become the responsibility of the local authority to ensure the accommodation
is furnished before allocating the accommodation to the tenant.
One of the most important aspects of a poverty proofing strategy is the process whereby
Government Departments, local authorities and state agencies ensure that they either contribute
to reducing poverty or, at least, do not increase poverty. An additional prime consideration
is the re-focusing of expenditure to meet those most in need and this is what my Department
is doing.
339. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of
exceptional needs applications for first communion support that have been received from
County Donegal over recent years; and the number of these that were successful. [7990/12]
Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): Under the supplementary welfare
allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment
(ENP) to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not
reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. These ENP payments are a vital
component of the SWA scheme and link the income support function of the scheme with the
wider welfare role of the Department’s community welfare service.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENP’s are payable 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.
A review of the guidelines on Exceptional Needs Payments is currently being finalised in
the Department by a group made up of former community welfare service staff. One of the
recommendations emanating from this review was the need to address the different approaches
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