Vol. 531 No. 2
144 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare it is considered that the payment of rent support should not be approved due to alleged overcrowding of the rented dwelling in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5307/01]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and neither I nor my Department have any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.
I outlined in my reply to parliamentary question reference No. 4399/00, which I answered on 15 February 2001, the manner in which supplementary welfare allowance claims from people who have left direct provision without clear justification are dealt with.
The person concerned had been in receipt of a reduced basic SWA payment of £15 per week having left direct provision. She then moved to County Kildare and made an application for basic SWA in Leixlip. She did not apply for rent supplement.
The accommodation in question is a five bedroom house comprising three double rooms and two single rooms. The community welfare officer refused the application on the grounds that the accommodation was not suitable for an additional adult given the circumstances of the people already residing in the house.
