Neither I nor my officials have any discretion in this matter. The exceptional needs payments are paid by community welfare officers of health boards under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children. Under the legislation, I cannot intervene in these cases.
I would probably have been more fulsome in my reply but for the fact the question was in the name of Deputy De Rossa. We looked at the fact that Deputy Broughan had raised a number of cases. He provided my Department with the names of three people who were seeking assistance. One person had already been evicted with her three children and her current address is unknown. The Eastern Health Board has confirmed that the Deputy made representations on behalf of one individual only. I understand the Eastern Health Board replied on 23 September asking the Deputy to get that person to contact the health board by telephone or in person. However, there is no record, as far as we are aware, of that person making any contact to date. I advise the Deputy to encourage his constituent to contact the health board.