Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 April 2007
181 Mr. N. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will arrange for an appeal in respect of an SWA application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork to be accepted by the southern Health Service Executive; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this appeal was lodged by this Deputy’s office in January 2007. [15602/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE), an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is determined by the Executive based on the particular circumstances of the case.
There is a statutory right of appeal against any decision made on an application for supplementary welfare allowance. The time allowed for acceptance of appeals is normally 21 days after the notification of a decision to the claimant. However, there is discretion to accept an appeal after this time has elapsed.
The Southern Area of the Executive have advised that the person concerned was refused an exceptional needs payments in September 2006. An appeal was lodged in February 2007 but there were problems in locating a record of the claim, and on 18 April 2007, the HSE Appeals Office advised the claimant that as so much time had passed since the refusal of the ENP, a new means and needs assessment would need to be carried out in respect of exceptional needs. The person concerned was advised to contact her local Community Welfare Office for assessment for an exceptional needs payment.
