The person in question is in receipt of an invalidity pension from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. Her pension is at the maximum rate and includes the appropriate increase in respect of a child dependant. She is also in receipt of a fuel allowance during the winter heating season from October to April. The person is in receipt of a monthly rent supplement of €366.50, which is the correct amount payable in her situation. Her net income after paying rent is €138.60 per week. This is the full net amount to which a household comprising one adult and one child is entitled, based on current payment rates.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for exceptional needs payments to help meet essential, one-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from his or her weekly income. If the person concerned finds that she has essential expenses which she is unable to provide for, she can apply for an exceptional needs payment by contacting the community welfare officer at her local health centre. The determination of entitlement to rent supplement or to exceptional needs payments is a matter for the health board. Neither I nor my Department have any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.