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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Apr 1992

Vol. 418 No. 4

Written Answers. - Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

232 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he monitors payments made under the supplementary welfare scheme to ensure that payments are available on an equal basis in the various health board regions.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

233 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social Welfare his views on whether it is acceptable for a health board to delegate payments for special needs to the St. Vincent de Paul Society and to recoup that organisation for its outgoings as a result of making these payments.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

234 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in certain health board areas, no mortgage relief under the supplementary welfare scheme is payable while in other areas it is paid.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

235 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the amounts allocated to each health board for supplementary welfare payments and the criteria on which these figures are based.

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 232, 233, 234 and 235 together.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme a weekly supplement may be paid to eligible persons towards rent or mortgage interest payments. Such supplements may be paid where the rent or mortgage interest exceeds £3.50 per week. As a general rule the supplement is calculated so that, after payment of rent or mortgage interest, the person has an income equal to the rate of Supplementary Welfare Allowance less £3.50.

The determination of applications for Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a matter for health boards subject to the Act, regulations and policy guidelines issued by my Department. I am aware that different approaches are sometimes adapted in regard to aspects of the scheme. The guidelines are intended to achieve a consistent approach to the operation of the scheme in different areas. The guidelines on the payment of rent and mortgage supplements are currently under review in my Department and I hope to make them available shortly.

The allocations to the health boards in respect in payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme in 1992 are set out in the following tabular statement.

Funding to individual health boards for Supplementary Welfare Allowance is estimated on the basis of the most recent data on expenditure in each health board area. Expenditure on the scheme is monitored on a monthly basis by my Department.
Estimated expenditure in each Health Board in 1992 is as follows:

Health Board

1992 Allocation

£m

Eastern

40.18

Midland

3.33

Mid-Western

4.51

North-Eastern

3.97

North-Western

4.33

South-Eastern

6.66

Southern

10.46

Western

6.26

Total

79.70

With regard to co-operation with the St. Vincent de Paul Society I have been informed by the health boards that this occurs in a small number of exceptional cases where circumstances such as alcohol abuse or homelessness dictate that special arrangements are called for. It may also arise where clients in distress contact the society directly and immediate assistance is given by the society which is subsequently reimbursed by the health board.
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