Niamh Smyth
Question:520. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on a HAS application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13959/25]
View answerTuesday, 25 March 2025
Questions (520)
Written answers
The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my department through the Community Welfare Service, was activated on 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn.
Humanitarian assistance is available in three stages.
Stage 1 of the HAS is available to people while they are directly impacted by the storm. It targets people who need immediate supports. This stage of humanitarian assistance is to help people with the essentials of life – food, water, shelter and warmth.
Stage 2 support generally involves the replacement of white goods, basic furniture items and other essential household items after a severe weather event.
Stage 3 humanitarian support helps to make a person’s accommodation habitable again in the aftermath of a severe weather event. It generally includes funding for work such as plastering, dry-lining, relaying of floors, electrical re-wiring and painting.
Stage 1 of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS) is available to people who need immediate humanitarian support while they are without power and/or water. Payments under Stage 1 are not income tested and applications paid have generally been to meet the additional cost of food, in the context of people being unable to either refrigerate or cook food while they had no power.
The scheme does not provide a general compensation payment for damage or losses incurred as a consequence of a weather event. It does not cover damage or losses that are reasonably expected to be covered by insurance policies, this includes spoiled food in a freezer etc., nor does it cover commercial, agricultural, or business losses.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for a HAS payment on 20/02/2025 for support towards lost freezer/fridge content. This claim was disallowed as freezer/fridge contents are not covered under HAS and are generally covered by home insurance.
I can confirm that the person concerned has since been awarded a payment for their household towards the additional costs of having to purchase food while unable to appropriately refrigerate perishable goods and/or cook food while their household was without power. The person concerned will be notified of this outcome in writing and will receive payment in 2 – 3 working days.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.