In the response to the previous question submitted by the Deputy on behalf of the person concerned (PQ 2069-15), it was stated that an appointment had been arranged for 29 January 2015 for her to apply for a jobseeker’s allowance transition payment, as it had been established that this was the most appropriate path for her to pursue given her personal circumstances. She did not attend this appointment and has not explained to the Department the reasons for her non-attendance. However, she has continued to be paid supplementary welfare allowance to date on the basis that her entitlement to jobseekers transition payment is being examined. She should, in these circumstances, honour agreed appointments, with a view to qualifying for a more appropriate payment. In this regard a further appointment has been arranged for her to attend her Intreo Centre on 11 March 2015. Her recent application for one parent family payment has also been received in the Department and this will be also be discussed at this meeting. It should be noted that the person concerned is obliged to pursue an appropriate statutory payment, as supplementary welfare allowance is intended only to be a short-term payment in these circumstances.
With regard to the matter of child benefit for the person concerned, the circumstances were confirmed in the reply to your recent question (PQ 7934-15) and that this has been reinstated since November 2014. Payments had been suspended in June 2014 as she had failed to provide relevant information that was requested in March 2014 in relation to her residency in the State.
Three letters have been sent to her since November 2014 in relation to her residency in Ireland for the period from April 2014 to October 2014; to date no response has been received. If she is unable to provide the documentation requested she must provide some form of evidence to confirm her residence for the period in question. On receipt of her response her claim for child benefit will be reviewed.
