Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 1

Written Answers. - Asylum Seekers.

Ivor Callely

Question:

289 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the estimated total amount of moneys given to asylum seekers by community welfare officers from 1995 to date; the type of payment made to asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14882/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme provides entitlement to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department. Payment is made in accordance with the relevant legislation as long as the person is resident in the State.

Under the SWA scheme asylum seekers can receive assistance in the form of a basic payment, a supplement for rent or diet and exceptional needs payments, ENPs.

Total expenditure on SWA payments to asylum seekers in 1999 is estimated at £35 million. This includes £22.7 million in respect of basic SWA, £10 million in respect of rent supplement and £1.3 million in respect of ENPs. Total expenditure in 1998 was £22 million. This includes approximately £15 million in respect of basic SWA, £5.5 million in respect of rent supplement and £1 million in respect of ENPs. Total expenditure in 1997 was £12 million but a detailed breakdown by type of payment is not available.

The information requested by the Deputy is not available in relation to earlier years. Prior to 1997, asylum seekers were not identified separately from other SWA applicants, but as there were fewer asylum seekers at that time expenditure would have been lower.

In addition to the above, asylum seekers are eligible to apply for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance and the fuel allowance. Expenditure on these schemes is not recorded by the category of person receiving the allowances so it is not possible to give statistics on either the number of claims or the expenditure for asylum seekers.

Ivor Callely

Question:

290 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 63 on 11 April 2000, he will give a breakdown of the 12,223 people in receipt of interim payments on 31 December 1999; if he will give a percentage breakdown for each group; the payments made to each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14883/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Interim payments are made under the supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme where a person has no means to meet their immediate needs pending payment from another source, for example while awaiting determination of an application for another social welfare payment.

The breakdown of the 12,223 people who were in receipt of an interim payment on 31 December 1999 is set out in the following tabular statement. Also included is a percentage breakdown of each group and the payments made.

As the Deputy may know, provision has been made in the Social Welfare Act, 2000, to allow my Department to pay SWA in these cases, where it is appropriate to do so. Certain organisational changes will have to be made before these arrangements can be put in place and in the meantime the health boards will continue to make interim payments.

Interim paymentpending;	Number ofRecipients	0% oftotal	Averageweeklyexpenditure £
Unemployment Payments	4,907	40.15	391,945
Family Income Support Payments	2,812	23.01	249,550
Payments for ill or Incapacitated people	3,611	29.54	291,008
Payments for Retired or Elderly People	427	3.48	30,408
Other Payments	466	3.82	36,496
Total	12,223	100	999,407