I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 190 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides a "safety net" within the overall social welfare system and provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. The Government has provided over €70 million for basic SWA in 2015. The SWA scheme is demand led and Government continues to ensure that the necessary funding for the scheme is available.
There has been a substantial reduction in the number of claims and expenditure on SWA schemes since 2010, including weekly basic SWA as set out in the tabular statement. The reduction in the number of recipients can be attributed to improved processing times in determining entitlement to weekly social welfare schemes, the overall reduction in the Live Register and the general improvement in the economy.
The Department continues to examine the operation of all its services, including the administration of the Community Welfare Service (CWS), in the context of the efficient delivery of services nationally. Where the CWS has been restructured, alternative arrangements have been put in place to ensure that customers are provided with ongoing access to the supports provided by the Department. In the event that a customer has difficulty attending a clinic, for example due to illness, there is the facility to phone the CWS and, if required, a visit to the client’s residence may be arranged.
The Department has developed a comprehensive Workforce Plan, in which the staffing needs for all business areas are reviewed regularly, including those administering SWA. As part of this process, account is taken of workloads, management priorities, competing demands arising and the capacity to redeploy staff within areas, in order to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.
Number of recipients of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance and Expenditure from 2010 to 2015.
Year
|
Recipients
|
Expenditure
(€000)
|
2010
|
37,499
|
206,570
|
2011
|
34,597
|
174,393
|
2012
|
32,358
|
180,291
|
2013
|
23,127
|
108,315
|
2014
|
19,798
|
85,347
|
2015 (end October)
|
16,455*
|
70,200**
|
*Figures for end October 2015 do not include persons in receipt of Direct Provision Allowance (representing 2,850 cases).
**2015 Revised Estimates.