Vol. 562 No. 3
216 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if supplementary welfare is available to persons who are living on social welfare, whose children need orthodontic treatment, but are unable to obtain same, and who would themselves put up part of the money, but would need assistance to cover the full cost; if supplementary welfare is not available, the reason therefor; and if not, the other options open to such persons. [5934/03]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department, provides basic income support for eligible people who have little or no means. The scheme also provides for exceptional needs payments to be made to assist with essential, once-off expenditure in exceptional circumstances. There is no automatic entitlement to an exceptional needs payment. Every decision is based on careful consideration of the circumstances of the case taking account of the nature and extent of the need, the availability of an alternative source to meet the need, for example, entitlements from other State agencies, and also takes into account the resources of the household.
The scheme does not act as a substitute for services which are provided by other State agencies. As orthodontic treatment is a service provided by the Department of Health and Children it does not come within the scope of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
217 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the full list of dentists who took part in the scheme for 2002 since the dental dispute started on a county by county basis. [5947/03]
When my Department ceased to accept claims from dentists participating in this dispute in August last, claims continued to be accepted from dentists who were still honouring their contractual obligations to adhere to the then agreed charges.
The list of dentists participating in the scheme changed frequently during the dispute and was updated regularly. Patients were directed to participating dentists through the LoCall service which was heavily used throughout the dispute. Without the participation of these dentists, insured workers and their spouses would not have had any service during the past six months and I appreciate the service they provided during this period. I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to publicise at this stage the names of the dentists concerned.
218 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if people accommodated in apartments where a management charge applies can receive rent allowance to cover the cost of the charge as well as rent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5948/03]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards, provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible persons who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.
The legislation governing rent supplements precludes payments being made which relate to the provision of goods or services. In addition it precludes payments being made to defray the cost of maintenance of, or repairs to, a dwelling for which, in the absence of agreement to the contrary, the tenant would be liable.
In the normal course, management charges, which cover services such as gardening, window cleaning and general upkeep, do not qualify for the payment of a rent supplement.
