Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
360. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for urgent needs payments in each county in the first three months of each of the years 2019, 2025 and 2026 respectively, by category of application; and the number approved, in tabular form. [33758/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. This also includes supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
The reporting of this scheme was revised in 2022 to extract more complete information including number of claims registered, and also to include reoccurring supplements in the overarching term of an Additional Needs Payments. Therefore the tables provided does not provide the number of registrations for 2019, nor do they include reoccurring supplements awarded in 2019.
Table 1 sets out the number of Additional Needs Payments awarded, by category, in Quarter 1 2019, and registered and awarded by category in Quarter 1 2025 and 2026
Table 2 set out the number of Additional Needs Payments awarded, by county, in Quarter 1 2019 and registered and awarded by county in Quarter 1 2025 and 2026
The figures do not reflect the number of claims that have been withdrawn, cancelled or are awaiting further information. Applications are assessed on the basis of identified need, income, available resources and essential expenditure.
My department also publishes statistics on Additional Needs Payments in the Quarterly Statistics report which is available at [g]ov.ie.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via [www.mywelfare.ie].
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Table 1- The number of Additional Needs Payments awarded, by category in Quarter 1 2019, and registered and awarded by category in Quarter 1 2025 and 2026
|
Category |
Q1 2019 Awarded |
Q1 2025 Registered |
Q1 2025 Awarded |
Q1 2026 Registered |
Q1 2026 Awarded |
|
Bills |
797 |
1,234 |
366 |
3,028 |
595 |
|
Child Related |
839 |
1,171 |
533 |
982 |
390 |
|
Clothing |
4,297 |
9,010 |
6,230 |
7,352 |
5,478 |
|
Funeral |
781 |
1,455 |
484 |
1,567 |
585 |
|
General |
9,599 |
11,828 |
4,818 |
8,670 |
2,588 |
|
Housing |
6,732 |
7,874 |
3,996 |
7,448 |
3,905 |
|
Illness |
612 |
361 |
221 |
308 |
194 |
|
Other Supplement |
N/A |
243 |
63 |
235 |
137 |
|
Urgent Needs Payment |
1,086 |
420 |
301 |
525 |
390 |
|
Grand Total |
24,743 |
33,596 |
17,012 |
30,115 |
14,262 |
Table 2 - The number of Additional Needs Payments awarded, by county in Quarter 1 2019 and registered and awarded by county in Quarter 1 2025 and 2026
|
County |
2019 Q1 Registered |
2025 Q1 Registered |
2025 Q1 Awarded |
2026 Q1 Registered |
2026 Q1 Awarded |
|
Carlow |
193 |
474 |
221 |
470 |
192 |
|
Cavan |
176 |
555 |
292 |
397 |
175 |
|
Clare |
785 |
725 |
368 |
664 |
348 |
|
Cork |
2,440 |
2,466 |
1,078 |
2,340 |
1,038 |
|
Donegal |
528 |
1,098 |
600 |
1,058 |
559 |
|
Dublin |
7,692 |
10,735 |
5,823 |
9,676 |
4,889 |
|
Galway |
667 |
1,399 |
614 |
1,221 |
485 |
|
Kerry |
919 |
984 |
436 |
865 |
464 |
|
Kildare |
986 |
1,285 |
608 |
888 |
321 |
|
Kilkenny |
359 |
525 |
221 |
486 |
184 |
|
Laois |
1,029 |
1,096 |
712 |
571 |
260 |
|
Leitrim |
173 |
275 |
155 |
223 |
107 |
|
Limerick |
890 |
1,181 |
556 |
1,182 |
533 |
|
Longford |
377 |
538 |
231 |
470 |
192 |
|
Louth |
429 |
1,517 |
899 |
1,463 |
724 |
|
Mayo |
767 |
1,032 |
496 |
927 |
449 |
|
Meath |
1.027 |
1,239 |
544 |
1023 |
459 |
|
Monaghan |
308 |
490 |
306 |
403 |
220 |
|
Offaly |
234 |
525 |
192 |
455 |
152 |
|
Roscommon |
406 |
423 |
190 |
353 |
167 |
|
Sligo |
583 |
517 |
278 |
613 |
367 |
|
Tipperary |
882 |
947 |
416 |
1,032 |
433 |
|
Waterford |
916 |
898 |
425 |
861 |
409 |
|
Westmeath |
992 |
901 |
508 |
803 |
386 |
|
Wexford |
256 |
942 |
434 |
942 |
409 |
|
Wicklow |
729 |
822 |
407 |
723 |
338 |
|
Unspecified |
0 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
|
Grand Total |
24,743 |
33,596 |
17,012 |
30,115 |
14,262 |
