Social Welfare Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 November 2014

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

Questions (183)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

183. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 who had been in receipt of the diet supplement until beginning work on a community employment scheme, which left them over the income threshold for the duration of the scheme, is considered a new applicant for the purposes of applying for a resumption of the diet supplement and therefore will be denied access to the scheme; and if this treatment may be reconsidered on a humanitarian basis. [43316/14]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Following Budget 2014, social welfare legislation was amended to provide that the diet supplement scheme was closed to new entrants from 1st February 2014. The person concerned had previously received this payment from December 2005 until July 2010 when he commenced a community employment scheme. As four years have elapsed since it was last paid, an application for a diet supplement received now would be treated as a new application, and therefore it is unlikely that he would qualify for the scheme.

There is no current claim from the person concerned for a diet supplement. However it is open to him to apply for this scheme and receive a decision to which he would have the right of appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office should he not be happy with it. The person concerned has a recent employment record and is in receipt of an invalidity pension from this Department. For an application for diet supplement to be considered, he would need to demonstrate that he qualified for the scheme on the grounds of his means prior to 1st February 2014.