Vol. 425 No. 7
139 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a rent allowance is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who is in receipt of unemployment assistance and has submitted evidence to the health board that he is not a registered student.
Under existing legislation, supplementary welfare allowance is not payable to persons in full-time education except in exceptional circumstances.
The person concerned, who is aged 20, attended University in the 1991-92 academic year. He is currently residing in a house in Maynooth with other people who are students. The Eastern Health Board, which is responsible for the administration of the scheme in the Kildare area, has taken the view that he is a repeat student and is therefore ineligible for rent supplementation under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
It is open to the person in question to appeal this decision.
140 Mrs. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of money paid by each of the eight health boards in supplementary rent allowance in each of the years from 1990 to 1992.
Health Boards do not maintain statistical records in such a way as to provide the information requested by the Deputy. It is estimated, that total expenditure on rent supplements under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme was in the region of £14 million in 1991 and £23 million in 1992. The average weekly number of recipients in receipt of a rent supplement was approximately 9,300 in 1991 compared to 13,200 in 1992.
A statistical system which will allow Health Boards to provide more detailed statistical and expenditure analysis in respect of the various elements of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme has been developed by my Department in consultation with the Boards. Discussions are continuing with the Health Boards and with staff interests on the implementation of the new system.
