Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2015
44. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for exceptional needs payments excluding ENP5 applications that were refused in 2010 to 2014, inclusive; the number of those refusals that were successful both on review and on appeal in those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3096/15]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €27.9m for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2015.
Statistics are maintained relating to payments under the ENP scheme, however they are not maintained on the number of applications or the outcome of those applications. Reviews of ENP cases are carried out by review officers within the community welfare service. Statistics are not maintained regarding the number of reviews undertaken or their outcome.
