Robert Molloy
Question:24 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of the rent and mortgage supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7225/96]
Vol. 463 No. 7
24 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of the rent and mortgage supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7225/96]
Section 179 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993, as substituted by paragraph three of the Sixth Schedule to the Act, provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement, including rent and mortgage interest supplements, in the case of a person whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The legislation also enables the Minister to make regulations prescribing the circumstances and conditions under which a supplement may be paid, the class or classes of persons to whom a supplement may be paid and the amount of supplement that may be paid, and this has been done in S.I. 382 of 1995. The legislative provisions of the S.I. commenced in January 1996. Prior to that, the same principles applied to applications for such supplements but on an administrative basis in the form of guidance and direction issued under section 175 of the Act.
The provisional outturn for expenditure on rent and mortgage interest supplements for 1995 is £64.5 million, of which £54.7 million is in respect of rent supplements and £9.8 million is in respect of mortgage interest supplements.
26 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider commencing the payment of the back to school clothing and footwear scheme earlier this year in order to ensure that people will be in a position to obtain school uniforms before the end of the school year. [7220/96]
38 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider commencing payment of the back to school clothing and footwear scheme earlier this year in order to ensure that people will be in a position to obtain school uniforms before the end of the school year. [7219/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 38 together.
28 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare the changes, if any, in the operation and administration of the disabled person's maintenance allowance which are likely over the next 12 months; and the programme of ongoing consultations concerning the allowance which he proposes to engage in. [3967/96]
37 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost and staff implications involved in transferring disabled person's maintenance allowance payments from the health boards to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6066/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 37 together.
As Deputies will know, the Social Welfare Bill which was passed recently in the House provides the legislative basis for the transfer of responsibility for the administration of the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme from health boards to my Department. The transfer of the scheme is a major undertaking and it is my intention that the transfer will take place in the autumn.
Under the provisions of the Bill the scheme will in future be known as disability allowance. The Bill also contains provision for a number of important improvements in the conditions of the scheme. It is my intention to carry out a review of the scheme following the transfer and taking account of any recommendations emerging from the work of the Commission of the Status of People with Disabilities.
The administration of the new scheme by my Department will have cost and staffing implications. These have not been finally determined but are under discussion with staff interests at present.
29 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social Welfare if British new age travellers are entitled to social welfare payments in this country; if they have been disqualified from receiving such payments in Britain in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4249/96]
Under EU regulations UK nationals may qualify for Irish social insurance benefits on their UK national insurance provided they satisfy the statutory conditions for entitlement. In the case of unemployment benefit it would be necessary, as a first step, for the person to become insured in Ireland and to have paid at least one PRSI contribution.
Under Irish social welfare legislation, they may also claim social assistance payments such as unemployment assistance and supplementary welfare allowance on the same basis as Irish nationals provided they satisfy the same statutory conditions.
Accordingly, if British nationals in Ireland claim unemployment assistance, their entitlement will be determined having regard to whether or not they are capable of, available for and genuinely seeking work and to the amount of means assessed. A disqualification from receipt of social security benefits in the United Kingdom would not, per se, preclude entitlement to unemployment assistance in Ireland.