Vol. 492 No. 5
35 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the standard of accommodation required for a rent supplement to be approved; whether hostels and bed and breakfast accommodation offered in the case of asylum seekers or illegal immigrants are in the recognised accommodation criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14406/98]
48 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the total value of supplementary welfare payments paid to asylum seekers to date; the total amount paid for the preceding five years; the percentage yearly increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14407/98]
112 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the type and value of payments that an illegal immigrant or asylum seeker may claim under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme or any other scheme and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14628]
114 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the value of cheques issued by community welfare officers to non-nationals to date; the total amount for the preceding five years; the annual increases; the likely increase in the years ahead; and if all recipients had a legitimate right and entitlement to reside in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14630/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 48, 112 and 114 together.
On arrival in the State, asylum seekers are classed as homeless and are provided with temporary accommodation until they secure rented accommodation. The temporary accommodation is usually a bed and breakfast, but hostel and hotel accommodation is also used. There are 1,432 cases, comprised of single people and families, in hostel or bed and breakfast accommodation. The cost of temporary accommodation is met from the Department of the Environment and Local Government Vote, but once private rented accommodation is secured, the rent is supplemented through the Supplementary Welfare Allowance, SWA, scheme funded from my Department's Vote.
Entitlement to a rent supplement is determined by the health boards in accordance with the appropriate legislative provisions. When assessing a claim for rent supplement health boards are obliged by legislation to ensure the accommodation is suitable to the residential and other needs of the applicant and that the rent payable by the claimant is just and proper having regard to the nature, character and location of the residence. This criteria also applies to hostels and bed and breakfast accommodation.
The SWA scheme is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department. It provides entitlement to any persons in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The question of whether any person has a legitimate right and entitlement to reside in Ireland is a matter for the immigration authorities. This issue does not arise in connection with claims for supplementary welfare allowance as there is no provision for restricting payments on the basis of nationality, normal residence or the legality of the person's presence in the State.
Asylum seekers and other immigrants can qualify for a basic weekly SWA payment; rent supplement if they are staying in rented accommodation; exceptional needs payments if they have needs which cannot be met from their weekly SWA payment; fuel allowance of either £5 or £8 per week in winter and spring and child supports, where appropriate, including child benefit, back to school clothing and footwear allowance. SWA provides the lowest rates of weekly payment within the social welfare system. Payment may continue as long as the asylum seeker is resident in the State.
Approximately three quarters of asylum seekers are single people, mostly males without dependants, and are paid £68.40 per week. In addition, if they are living in rented accommodation they may qualify for a rent supplement. As of the beginning of June 1998, SWA payments were being made to 3,000 households in respect of approximately 3,800 adults and 1,200 children. Child benefit is also paid as appropriate. Expenditure on SWA payments for asylum seekers to date is estimated at a maximum of £13 million. The total expenditure for 1997 was approximately £12 million. The information requested by the Deputy is not available for earlier years, but as there were fewer asylum seekers at that time, expenditure would have been lower.
Total expenditure by my Department on asylum seekers in 1998 and later years will depend on a number of factors, including the numbers arriving, the length of stay in temporary accommodation and the length of time it takes to finalise asylum applications. The Deputy will appreciate it is not possible to provide precise estimates of costs for future years.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I note he took four of my questions together.
The Minister wants to get the Deputy out of his hair as fast as possible.
I am sure that is not the Minister's intention. It may have been that of his predecessor because I caught him with what could be described as an uppercut and hurt him on many occasions.
If it is not his intention, then it should be.
I recall Deputy De Rossa walking out of the Chamber during Question Time.
And, indeed, storming out through the Opposition benches on another occasion. With regard to the standard of accommodation, the Minister said bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation is provided and the facilities are also available for those who are known to be illegal immigrants. Has he considered putting a mechanism in place whereby a person is accommodated for a period and, if found to be an illegal immigrant, can be transported out of the country? I raised this matter at an Eastern Health Board meeting and have been advised it is a matter for the Minister's Department — the health boards make the payment under the scheme if it is deemed right but it is up to the Minister, the architect of the scheme, to ensure regulations are met. I am concerned by reports that houses are being purchased in the Dublin area to provide basic accommodation for people, although the properties may not meet local authority criteria for such accommodation. However, it will take time for the system to act. In relation to Question No. 35, could the Minister clarify, either now or in writing to myself or the health boards, the criteria required for approved accommodation, and whether he agrees that payment should not be made if the accommodation is not approved?
The same entitlement falls to be determined in accordance with the provisions whether the person is an asylum seeker or an Irish or EU national. The determination of entitlement to SWA is, therefore, exactly the same for everyone resident in the State.
Lest it become part of the myth of this House, I have never walked out during Question Time. Could the Minister indicate the number of families in the Eastern Health Board area — which is the area dealing with the largest number of those seeking asylum — who are in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance? My understanding is that 11 such families have been assisted under this scheme in that area; that information comes from a question to the EHB of which the Minister's colleague is a member, so presumably he has the information.
The remark about leaving the Chamber was meant to be jocose, although when we were in Opposition I remember occasions when our Members were unhappy during Question Time.
If the Minister took the abuse I did at the time he would understand.
Perhaps so. Certain estimates are given but I do not have figures broken down into health board areas. I thought it would have been a lot more but I can investigate it.
One would certainly think it was more if one believed Deputy Callely.
The expenditure on SWA for asylum seekers is £13 million and I think the vast majority of those are in the Dublin area.
Yes but I am talking about families and making a distinction between SWA and rent supplement. The question related to accommodation for asylum seekers or illegal immigrants and my understanding, having seen an Eastern Health Board reply to a similar question, is that the number of families in its area is 11, which would undermine the scapegoating of asylum seekers which continually takes place.
Since last September, payments have been made by EHB staff to 1,000 asylum seekers — I think that is basic rate payments. The Deputy's question is probably more properly addressed to the Department of the Environment and Local Government. My Department pays rent supplement in respect of private rented accommodation but hostel and bed and breakfast accommodation is taken care of by the other Department.
Could the Minister indicate the likely total payment to asylum seekers and illegal immigrants in 1998, and the percentage yearly increases for the previous five years? Could he also indicate the type and value of payments which illegal immigrants and asylum seekers may claim, and outline other schemes under which they are entitled to claim? To ensure that no one picks this up incorrectly, I am referring solely to illegal immigrants or asylum seekers who have not been approved for refugee status. One of my questions asks the Minister whether he is satisfied that there are adequate supports for genuine refugees. That is the backdrop to the questions I have posed about illegal immigrants or unapproved asylum seekers.
How does the Deputy make the distinction?
Deputy De Rossa should know, he was there.
The figures for this year are only estimates and are based on tentative assumptions, such as that 100 asylum seekers will arrive per week throughout the year and for the rest of the year; that claims may not be finalised; and on average stay 13 weeks in a bed and breakfast or hostel before moving into private rented accommodation. Given that, the overall figure would be in the region of £30 million. The provision of supplementary welfare allowance to asylum seekers, refugees or anyone resident in the State is well governed in the legislation. Those whom Deputy Callely mentions would be treated exactly the same as an Irish national in those circumstances.
Does the Minister agree it would be better to lift the restrictions on asylum seekers working?
We have spent 13 minutes on this question, Deputy, and I have called the last supplementary.
Perhaps the Deputy could write to me on that point.
