Deirdre Clune
Ceist:196 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of people receiving rent allowance in each health board area while awaiting processing of their applications for asylum. [23985/98]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Deirdre Clune
Ceist:197 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of welfare payments while awaiting processing of their applications for asylum. [23986/98]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides entitlement to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered by the health boards on behalf of the Department. Payment may continue as long as the asylum seeker is resident in the State.
SWA payments are currently being made to approximately 3,700 households in respect of some 4,600 adults and about 1,500 children who are seeking asylum. Over 70 per cent of asylum seekers are residing in private rented accommodation and in receipt of rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The balance are accommodated in bed and breakfast and hostel type accommodation which is funded by local authorities.
A detailed breakdown is presented on the attached tabular statement.
Asylum seekers receiving payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.
|
Health Board |
Basic Payments (i) |
Rent Supplements(ii) |
|
Eastern (iii) |
3,339 |
2,469 |
|
Midland |
4 |
4 |
|
Mid-Western |
99 |
64 |
|
North-Eastern |
33 |
1 |
|
North-Western |
1 |
1 |
|
South Eastern |
118 |
105 |
|
Southern |
81 |
46 |
|
Western |
25 |
10 |
|
Total |
3,700 |
2,700 |
Notes:
(i) Basic payment and rent supplement figures are those for week ending 6th November 1998.
(ii) A payment can be in respect of a single person or a family unit comprising two or more people.
(iii) Data for the Eastern Health Board (EHB) are estimated as the SWA scheme is not yet fully computerised in that health board.