Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
650. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of payments made under supplementary welfare in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021 for special equipment for children with additional needs by county in tabular form. [16351/21]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made 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.
While statistics are maintained on the number of payments made under the ENP scheme, unfortunately it is not possible to identify payments made to parents/guardians to purchase special equipment for children with additional needs.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
