Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Michael Ring

Ceist:

229 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the health boards in the past two years, giving details for each health board and authority area. [14783/03]

Michael Ring

Ceist:

232 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of SWA from the health boards who were waiting on appeals for unemployment assistance, giving details for each health board and authority area. [14787/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 229 and 232 together. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards, provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. In addition to a basic allowance, supplements may be given to assist with various needs, including rent, mortgage interest, dietary requirements and heating. Payments are also made in cases of exceptional and urgent needs where, in the opinion of the health board, the circumstances of a case so warrant. The number of recipients of basic supplementary welfare allowance and supplements for each of the past two years is as shown in the following tabular statement. The tables also provide details of unemployment assistance cases which were pending appeal. The figures relate to the position at the end of December in each case.

Recipient numbers of basic SWA and supplements at end of 2001

Board/Area	BasicSWA	PendingUA Appeal	SupplementsRent	MortgageInterest	Other*
ERHA	12,001	290	17,866	1,753	7,579
Midlands	1,419	56	1,790	87	873
Mid West	2,146	43	3,271	272	1,647
North East	2,314	52	2,787	328	996
North West	1,099	26	2,111	172	275
South East	3,208	167	4,667	382	2,069
Southern	3,585	81	7,035	616	2,840
Western	3,395	186	5,501	454	1,047
Total	29,167	901	45,028	4,064	17,326

Recipient numbers of basic SWA and supplements at end of 2002

Board/Area	BasicSWA	PendingUA Appeal	SupplementsRent	MortgageInterest	Other*
ERHA	13,448	243	21,874	1,878	8,315
Midlands	1,552	25	2,285	104	979
Mid West	2,331	24	3,892	302	2,174
North East	2,794	134	3,352	330	1,004
North West	1,119	41	2,569	174	323
South East	3,357	109	5,536	448	2,221
Southern	4,044	59	8,334	675	3,485
Western	3,428	77	6,371	448	1,098
Total	32,073	712	54,213	4,359	19,599

*Other supplements included diet, heating and travel.