Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

174 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if supports offered by his Department to homeless people discriminate against other vulnerable groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29868/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

Homeless persons have the same entitlements as any other Irish citizen in the social welfare system. The supports provided to homeless people do not discriminate against other vulnerable groups. If they are unemployed but capable of and genuinely seeking work, then they can apply for unemployment assistance. They may be paid basic supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) if they do not fulfil the conditions for any other primary weekly payment from my Department. In addition, they can also apply for payments such as rent supplement, diet supplement and exceptional needs payments under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme on the same basis as any other person in the State.

The SWA scheme is administered on my behalf by the health boards. Under the SWA scheme, health boards can provide a basic weekly payment to eligible people who have little or no income. An assessment of a person's means and needs is carried out and where there is a shortfall in a person's income a payment may be made to bring that person's income up to the appropriate SWA rate.

Where a person has access to some resources either in cash or in kind this is taken into account in determining entitlement to SWA. This occurs in the case of some homeless people who are being provided with full or partial board accommodation. A working group was established earlier this year comprising of representatives from relevant Departments and the health boards to examine certain issues related to the assessment of need for SWA purposes. These include the level of SWA which should be paid to people who have means other than cash to partly meet their basic needs. The group will recommend any legislative or administrative changes that may be required to maximise fairness, equity, transparency and efficiency in this area. The group is now finalising its recommendations and a draft report is expected in the near future.