Michael Ring
Ceist:356 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she received a copy of the report on the landslide in north Mayo; and the measures her Department is taking to compensate the householders in the area. [28330/03]
Written Answers. - Mayo Landslide.
I understand that the report in question has been prepared by Mayo County Council. It has not been forwarded to me. I have, however, requested that a copy be provided to my Department.
In the interim, I wish to advise the Deputy that, under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department, a health board may make a single payment, known as an exceptional needs payment, to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of his or her weekly income. The scheme also provides for the issuing of urgent needs payments to people who would not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance.
The Western Health Board has advised that in the days immediately following the landslide the local community welfare officer and superintendent community welfare officer had visited the area to ensure that people were aware that assistance was available under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in respect of exceptional essential expenses incurred as a result of the landslide. In this regard, the board has advised that, to date, 20 exceptional needs payments have been issued.