Brian O'Shea
Question:266 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Dublin will have a further appeal hearing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19629/99]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person's claim for unemployment assistance was disallowed by a deciding officer with effect from 3 February 1999 as he was deemed not to be genuinely seeking work.
He appealed against that decision to the independent social welfare appeals office. Following an oral hearing to afford the person concerned the opportunity to present his case personally, the appeals officer determined that the person concerned was not entitled to unemployment assistance on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work. The appeals officer's decision is final and conclusive and can only be reviewed in the light of new facts or fresh evidence.
Liz McManus
Question:267 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will extend the income limit in 2000 regarding children's back to school clothing and footwear scheme in view of the fact that many families find themselves just over the income limit and extremely difficult to prepare their children for school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19762/99]
Jack Wall
Question:270 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that families can lose the back to school allowance for clothing and books if a carer in the family is in receipt of carer's allowance; if so, if he will change the system to ensure that this situation is not allowed continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19939/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 270 together.
The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards. The scheme is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. Certain people on low incomes who are in receipt of family income supplement may also qualify for assistance.
In order to qualify for the allowance, the claim must be in respect of a qualified child, the applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and they must satisfy a specified means test. Carers allowance is a qualifying payment under the terms of the scheme. However, those in receipt of carers allowance are subject to the same means test as other applicants and their income may be over the specified limits.
The income limits for the allowance are based on social welfare payments and are automatically raised each year in line with the budgetary increases in those payments. Any change in the means test would have cost implications and could only be considered in a budgetary context.
However, a review of the back to school clothing and footwear scheme has recently commenced as part of my Department's series of programme expenditure evaluations and the suggestion that the income limits be extended or that certain payments be disregarded in the calculation of means will be examined in that context.
In the meantime, applications for assistance from those who do not qualify for payment under the scheme may be considered by the health board for an exceptional needs payment, ENP. The purpose of ENPs is to help prevent hardship by providing for essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which applicants could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
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. Each case is dealt with on its own merits.