Vol. 571 No. 1
1373 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when the rent allowance will be increased in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare whose situation has become precarious; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20591/03]
Under the terms of the supplemen tary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the regional health boards, payment of a weekly or monthly supplement may be made in respect of rent to any eligible person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet his or her accommodation needs.
Under current legislation certain categories of people are specifically excluded from receiving assistance. These include people engaged in full-time employment, i.e. 30 hours or more per week, and people involved in full-time education.
The South-Western Area Health Board was contacted on behalf of the couple in question and has advised that one of the couple is in full-time employment and the other is a full-time student. Therefore, the position is that they would not normally be entitled to receive assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
The legislation governing supplementary welfare allowance allows a health board to make a payment to a person who would not normally qualify for assistance under the terms of the scheme. Payments of this nature are made only in very exceptional circumstances and are normally made for a limited period in order to allow a person to regularise his/her circumstances.
The board has further advised that a rent supplement had been paid to the couple in question as a very exceptional measure for a period of six months from February 2003. It was clearly explained to them that an exception was being made and that payment of the supplement would continue for a limited period, i.e. six months. Accordingly, payment of the supplement ceased with effect from the end of July 2003.
In the opinion of the board, continuation of the supplement is not warranted in this case.
1374 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when the rent allowance will be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, full details in respect of which have already been submitted to the South-Western Area Health Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20593/03]
Under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the regional health boards, payment of a weekly or monthly supplement may be made in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any eligible person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet his or her accommodation needs.
The South-Western Area Health Board was contacted on behalf of the individual in question and has advised that an application for mortgage interest supplement was received. Mortgage interest supplements are subject to a means test and in this regard the individual was asked to supply details of her financial circumstances in order to facilitate the prescribed means test. She did not supply the details requested and subsequently withdrew her application for mortgage interest supplement.
1375 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent of effectiveness of the bilateral arrangements that apply between Ireland and the United States in so far as the calculation, assessment and payment of welfare benefits to qualified persons from Ireland living in the United States is concerned; the numbers who are in receipt of benefits who are living in the United States; the numbers who receive departmental benefits who are living here of US extraction; the nature and categories of such payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20649/03]
A bilateral agreement on social security between Ireland and the United States of America has been in effect since 1 September 1993.
The main purpose of this agreement is to protect the social security pension rights of workers who have worked in Ireland and who have also worked or resided in the United States. There are currently 631 people in the USA, and 206 people in Ireland, who receive benefits under the provisions of the agreement. In addition, there are 178 people in receipt of pensions in the USA under the EU regulations or other bilateral agreements. The total number of claims awarded per pension category are given thereunder – appendix 1.
It is not possible to establish how many US citizens living in Ireland are in receipt of benefits apart from the bilateral agreement, as statistics are not kept with regard to the nationality of beneficiaries. I am satisfied that the overall operation of the agreement gives full effect to its purpose, and that the operational relationship between the US authorities and my Department works very well. Any occasional difficulties or delays in the implementation of the bilateral agreement are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, and periodic reviews of its operation ensure that these are kept to a minimum.
APPENDIX 1
People in the USA in receipt of benefits under the bilateral agreement
|
Old Age Contributory Pension |
309 |
|
Retirement pension |
115 |
|
Widows Pension |
177 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
30 |
|
Total |
631 |
|
Old Age Contributory Pension |
121 |
|
Retirement pension |
15 |
|
Widows Pension |
60 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
10 |
|
Total |
206 |
|
Old Age Contributory Pension |
93 |
|
Retirement pension |
18 |
|
Widows Pension |
57 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
10 |
|
Total |
178 |
