Vol. 529 No. 1
912 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he has considered the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will allow this person access to social welfare assistance in order that the family can live in Dublin and be near hospital facilities required by his wife. [30520/00]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and my Department has no function in deciding entitlement in individual cases. 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.
A person who leaves direct provision accommodation without clear justification and who subsequently applies for rent supplement or assistance towards a rent deposit is regarded as not having an accommodation need and rent supplements are not payable. The rate of SWA payable in such cases is the same as that payable to people in direct provision. However, a health board may decide in exceptional cases to award a rent supplement due to particular circumstances. Deciding entitlement to SWA payments is a matter for the relevant health board and my Department has no function in that regard. The person concerned is an asylum seeker who was in direct provision in Rathdrum, County Wicklow. He moved to Dublin and has been granted refugee status from 18 January 2001. This entitles him to claim full rate SWA and accordingly he is being paid a basic SWA payment and rent supplement from that date.
Question No. 913 answered with Question No. 891.
