The Department of Social and Family Affairs endeavours to ensure that applications for unemployment assistance are decided as quickly as possible in all local offices. A person awaiting a decision on an application for assistance from the Department or whose application is in dispute who finds that he or she has insufficient means with which to provide for his or her basic needs may apply for interim assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive.
Of the 4,426 people who are receiving basic supplementary welfare allowance while awaiting a decision on a claim for unemployment assistance, 340 are in the former Midland Health Board region, 578 are in the former South Eastern Health Board region and 1,260 are in the former ERHA region. The totals in each region are broadly proportionate having regard to the levels of unemployment assistance in the regions.
The decision in any individual case on whether an applicant is entitled to the allowance is a matter for the relevant community welfare officer, based on the applicant's circumstances. An applicant for the allowance who is not satisfied with the decision taken in his or her case may lodge an appeal, which will be dealt with firstly by an appeals officer at a senior level in the health service. If the applicant is not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal, he or she may lodge a further appeal with the independent social welfare appeals office.
While there is no automatic entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance in circumstances where another social assistance claim is in process, a community welfare officer may award supplementary welfare allowance in any case in which the Health Service Executive considers that the circumstances of the case so warrant. An assessment of a person's means and needs is carried out in each case. If there is a shortfall in a person's income a payment may be made to bring it up to the appropriate supplementary welfare allowance rate.