Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
1081. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if assistance is available for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare in addition to the person's disability payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8559/20]
View answerAccording to the records of my Department, the person concerned has been in receipt of a Disability Allowance, Fuel Allowance and Living Alone Allowance since 1/7/2015. She has also been in receipt of a Telephone Support Allowance since 6/6/2018 and Household Benefits Package, comprising an allowance towards the cost of electricity/gas and free television licence since 1/6/2006. The person concerned has a Free Travel pass.
If the person concerned is having difficulty in meeting her bills, she should contact the Money Advice and Budgeting Service where she may be assisted in formulating a payment structure to meet her expenses.
It is also open to the person concerned to contact the Community Welfare Service at the Tallaght Intreo Centre to seek assistance under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (Supplements) Scheme. Under SWA, my Department can make a single Exceptional Needs Payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. There is no automatic entitlement to these payments which are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case, in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. This service can be contacted by phone at 01 4629400 or by email cwstallaght@welfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
