Vol. 566 No. 2
207 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the mechanism that is in place in the Department to pay an interim payment to an applicant for unemployment assistance; if there is a hardship aspect to the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12485/03]
My Department endeavours that applications for unemployment assistance are decided as quickly as possible. Where there are delays in processing an application a person may seek payment of supplementary welfare allowance during that period.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the health boards, provides for the payment of a basic weekly allowance to eligible people who have little or no income. An assessment of a person's means and needs is carried out and where there is a shortfall in a person's income a payment may be made to bring that person's income up to the appropriate supplementary welfare allowance rate.
The decision to pay supplementary welfare allowance is a matter for the appropriate health board and would normally have regard to any hardship factors.
