Vol. 489 No. 6
562 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will review the decision to refuse a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 an exceptional means payment to assist her travel to England to her elderly sister's funeral. [9491/98]
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is administered by the eight health boards. Section 181 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993, provides for a health board to make a single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. These payments are known as exceptional needs payments (ENPs). ENPs are payable at the discretion of the health board taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
In the case of the person concerned her weekly income was significantly above the maximum level for receipt of supplementary welfare allowance and, accordingly, she was refused an ENP on the grounds that she had sufficient means to meet her needs.
This Department has no role in determining or reviewing entitlement in individual cases. However, it is open to the individual concerned to lodge an appeal with the appeals officer in the Eastern Health Board.
