Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2015
95. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if funding will be provided to separated parents, who are living a substantial distance from each other, to enable the child to visit the second parent by train or other public transport on a regular basis, given that the second parent is not living in the family home, and whose income is limited on social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19730/15]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA), the Department may award a supplement towards travel related costs. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
Where the travel costs are non-recurring, the SWA scheme provides for exceptional needs payments to be made to assist with essential, once-off expenditure. There is no automatic entitlement to such payments. Again, every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.
If the Deputy has details of a specific case, they should be provided to the Department’s Community Welfare Service for consideration.
