Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - Asylum Seekers.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

549 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if asylum seekers are in any circumstances, provided with financial assistance by the State, State agencies or local authorities for the purchase, operation, repair and maintenance of motor vehicles for their personal use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9310/02]

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

There is provision within the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to provide assistance to people with once off exceptional needs and also with ongoing needs which, given the circumstances of the case, the person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their normal weekly income. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the various health boards and neither I nor my Department have any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.

Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or health board payment. Payments are "once-off" and made at the discretion of the health board. Every decision in these cases is based on careful consideration of all the circumstances of the individual case taking account of the nature and extent of the need. An asylum seeker may qualify on the same basis as any other person.

The expenses incurred in purchasing and maintaining a car are not appropriate to the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. I am aware of rumours circulating that asylum seekers are in receipt of payments in respect of the type of expenses referred to by the Deputy. Inquiries I have made on the matter have shown that such rumours are untrue and without foundation.

However, if the Deputy has a particular case or cases in mind and can supply relevant details, I will arrange to have further inquiries made with the health board concerned to clarify the nature of any assistance being provided and the individual circumstances of the particular case.