asked the Minister for Social Welfare his Department's policy in relation to periodically reviewing social assistance allowances.
Written Answers. - Social Assistance Review Policy.
40.
The term "social assistance allowances" is taken to mean the following schemes: unmarried mother's allowances, prisoner's wife's allowance and single woman's allowance. The Department's policy in relation to periodic reviews of these schemes is consistent with its overall policy to ensure that all qualified claimants receive their full entitlements. In this regard the majority of reviews are carried out consequential on the receipt of information from the claimant indicating a change in her circumstances. In some cases these reviews result in an increase being payable; an example would be a claim in respect of an extra child. In other instances payment of the allowance may be discontinued, because the claimant would no longer fulfil the conditions for receipt.
In addition to this type of review the Department carries out general control reviews from time to time. These reviews are aimed at ascertaining the claimant's present circumstances and to make adjustments, where necessary, in respect of changes in circumstances. A purpose of these control reviews is to ensure that people are not receiving allowances to which they are not entitled.