Social Welfare Payments

Tuesday, 11 May 2021

Ceisteanna (527)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

527. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the number and value of payments made by community welfare officers by county in each of the past three years to persons who were being rehoused, going to new accommodation; the number of recipients by county per year; the average payment made to each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23648/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, Community Welfare Officers in my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.

Where a tenant cannot furnish the property from within his/her own resources, s/he can apply for an exceptional needs payment to assist them in furnishing the property. The level of furnishings and appliances required will depend on an assessment of size and nature of the proposed property, the expected level of occupancy and items already available to the customer. Every case is based on the individual circumstances/needs of the household.

Table 1 shows the number of payments and expenditure on ENPs for new accommodation kit-outs, per county for 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Table 2 shows the number of individual recipients and the average payment on ENPs for new accommodation kit-outs, per county for 2018, 2019 and 2020.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table 1 - Number of Payments and Expenditure on ENPs for new accommodation kit outs 2018-2020, per county.

-	2018		2019		2020	-
County	Number of Payments	Expenditure €	Number of Payments	Expenditure €	Number of Payments	Expenditure €
CARLOW	104	255,504	249	759,099	186	536,673
CAVAN	60	74,470	113	102,662	110	125,134
CLARE	126	196,009	157	372,710	190	468,693
CORK	599	1,233,825	749	2,024,464	1,003	2,789,515
DONEGAL	257	571,048	258	650,844	243	659,224
DUBLIN	3,214	2,932,281	4,101	5,235,683	3,411	3,755,670
GALWAY	194	508,082	268	801,874	297	833,330
KERRY	180	398,551	208	545,351	323	934,097
KILDARE	264	303,530	180	298,416	301	386,151
KILKENNY	213	325,181	242	441,037	212	469,786
LAOIS	192	400,805	136	298,875	242	533,657
LEITRIM	72	125,579	86	227,722	51	122,784
LIMERICK	494	321,740	262	199,702	322	257,198
LONGFORD	148	180,708	298	420,141	234	357,840
LOUTH	229	317,266	210	347,242	362	614,816
MAYO	196	230,248	167	233,233	213	322,147
MEATH	446	384,283	484	640,948	440	641,526
MONAGHAN	83	96,035	178	238,881	180	172,223
OFFALY	96	179,028	119	293,826	103	251,078
ROSCOMMON	297	390,936	163	315,756	93	215,805
SLIGO	116	138,322	143	200,243	119	165,458
TIPPERARY	216	443,103	250	538,610	298	815,373
WATERFORD	267	505,989	404	1,157,232	289	864,855
WESTMEATH	140	148,516	207	223,167	173	327,658
WEXFORD	249	441,831	304	729,352	227	631,380
WICKLOW	173	172,723	491	898,782	272	463,660
Grand Total	8,625	11,275,591	10,427	18,195,851	9,894	17,715,730

Table 2 - Number of individual recipients and average payment on ENPs for new accommodation kit outs 2018-2020, per county.

-	2018		2019		2020	-
-	Recipients	Average Payment €	Recipients	Average Payment €	Recipients	Average Payment €
CARLOW	102	2,505	238	3,189	180	2,982
CAVAN	48	1,551	75	1,369	64	1,955
CLARE	107	1,832	134	2,781	169	2,773
CORK	545	2,264	701	2,888	966	2,888
DONEGAL	253	2,257	257	2,532	240	2,747
DUBLIN	1,924	1,524	2,667	1,963	2,374	1,582
GALWAY	184	2,761	259	3,096	281	2,966
KERRY	172	2,317	198	2,754	309	3,023
KILDARE	155	1,958	130	2,296	161	2,398
KILKENNY	142	2,290	210	2,100	205	2,292
LAOIS	167	2,400	110	2,717	184	2,900
LEITRIM	63	1,993	80	2,847	50	2,456
LIMERICK	239	1,346	153	1,305	183	1,405
LONGFORD	78	2,317	141	2,980	139	2,574
LOUTH	186	1,706	167	2,079	296	2,077
MAYO	103	2,235	98	2,380	127	2,537
MEATH	229	1,678	298	2,151	306	2,096
MONAGHAN	67	1,433	109	2,192	113	1,524
OFFALY	81	2,210	100	2,938	88	2,853
ROSCOMMON	134	2,917	102	3,096	86	2,509
SLIGO	102	1,356	119	1,683	107	1,546
TIPPERARY	206	2,151	211	2,553	286	2,851
WATERFORD	220	2,300	374	3,094	276	3,134
WESTMEATH	70	2,122	100	2,232	119	2,753
WEXFORD	226	1,955	287	2,541	220	2,870
WICKLOW	104	1,661	300	2,996	217	2,137
Grand Total	5,907		7,618		7,746

Note: These figures are taken from the Department's ENP database and represent a snapshot of ENPs as they are approved by an officer rather than when they are paid. The figures do not capture payments that are cancelled, payments that go out of date or overpayments recouped.

I trust that this clarifies the position.