The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This could include payment for costs such as travel and necessary temporary accommodation while attending hospital appointments. In addition, support can be provided through a supplement under the scheme which can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the person's own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
Decisions on essential needs payments and supplements are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
I would encourage any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an exceptional needs payment or a supplement to contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre. There is a national Income Support Helpline in place - 0818-800024 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
My Department also administers the free travel scheme, which provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approximately 1,026,000 customers with direct eligibility for free travel.
Funding is provided by the HSE under the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) for a transportation assistance fund, known as Travel2Care, to assist patients who have a financial difficulty in meeting some of the costs of travelling to appointments. This scheme is administered by the Irish Cancer Society.
The provision of accessible public transport is a matter for the Minister for Transport. My Department provides an annual funding contribution of €1.5 million from the Free Travel budget provision towards the Transport for Ireland Local Link Programme, which is administered by the National Transport Authority under the auspices of the Department of Transport. The Programme provides services to people whose travel needs are not met by existing bus or train services. Services provided include door to door services on certain routes.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
