Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
747. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the Young Patients Family Fund that was launched by the Scottish government in July 2021; if he will give consideration to developing a similar scheme to support parents with children in hospital in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33603/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that there are no specific proposals within my Department at present for the development of a scheme of financial assistance for parents in the circumstances referred to by the Deputy. However, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, administered by the Department of Social Protection, a person may be eligible to apply for an Exceptional Needs Payment to help meet essential, one-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
