Vol. 488 No. 7
303 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of properties in County Kildare to which the Eastern Health Board is paying rental subsidies; the way in which this compares with previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7010/98]
The supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of rent payments to any person in the state whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The SWA scheme is administered by the eight health boards and my Department has no function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.
A record of the number of properties to which rent supplements are payable in County Kildare is not available. Information on the number of supplements paid to individuals in County Kildare and the total expenditure from 1995-97 is provided in the following tabular statement. The increase in rent supplement expenditure is mainly accounted for by the increase in rent levels.
|
Year |
No. of Supplements |
Expenditure |
|
1995 |
1,993 |
£2,328,000 |
|
1996 |
2,272 |
£2,656,000 |
|
1997(*) |
2,290 |
£3,000,000 |
