Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
Liz McManus
Question:
34
Ms McManus
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his views on whether the payment of the £15 per week to asylum seekers is best administered through his Department; if his attention has been drawn to any discussions with regard to moving the administration of this payment to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24939/00]
The main objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is to make up the difference between a person's means whether in cash or in kind and their needs. Where a person has access to some resources in kind or in cash, through the social welfare system or otherwise, this is taken into account in determining entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance.
This occurs in the case of asylum seekers in direct provision who are being provided with full board accommodation, all meals and other services. In such cases the recommended weekly allowance is £15 per adult and £7.50 per child to provide for personal requisites. Furthermore, where there are other reasonable expenses exceptional needs payments are made by the health boards.
As the Deputy is aware, I have set up a working group comprising representatives from relevant Departments to examine certain issues related to the assessment of need for supplementary welfare allowance purposes. The terms of reference of the working group are to review the existing arrangements for the payment of basic weekly supplementary welfare allowance to people who have means other than cash to partly meet their basic needs; to review the circumstances in which people claiming supplementary welfare allowance rent supplement are refused on the grounds that they are not in need of accommodation; and to consult with interested parties and to make appropriate recommendations.
Membership of the working group consists of nominees of the health boards, the Department of Finance, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of the Environment and Local Government, in addition to representatives of my Department, which is chairing the group.
One of the issues being examined by the group is what are the most suitable administrative arrangements for paying asylum seekers in direct provision. Supplementary welfare allowance is intended to be a short-term intervention to provide a safety net ensuring that no person is forced to live without the minimum level of resources set out in legislation. Apart from small numbers of people in exceptional circumstances, it was never intended that any category of people would have to rely on supplementary welfare allowance payments for a prolonged period because of the absence of alternative arrangements to meet their particular needs.
In that context, the working group is considering whether the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is the most appropriate mechanism for providing the weekly payment to asylum seekers in direct provision accommodation centres. The merits of possible alternative approaches, such as setting up a separate scheme or making the weekly payment in cash at the accommodation centre, are being considered.
Any changes in the current administrative arrangements will at least maintain, if not improve on, the quality and level of service provided to the people concerned. There is no question of reducing the overall value of asylum seekers' entitlements to below the supplementary welfare allowance level. The supplementary welfare allowance system guarantees a minimum level of resources to every person in the State and this will continue to be the case.
I expect to receive the group's report and recommendations before the end of the year.
Question No. 35 taken with Question No. 11.
