The Minister is doing as he has done before — quoting the global figure for supplementary welfare allowance. The question we are asking is whether the money allocated to families for clothing grants, particularly for children, has been cut back. In his earlier reply the Minister stated that he did not have statistics from the health boards concerning clothing grants. I put it to him that he should insist that the health boards provide him with figures for clothing grant allocations last year and the year before. I am certain on the evidence available to me in Ballymun and Finglas that there have definitely been cutbacks in clothing grants, particularly for children, in 1984. The same situation will hold in 1985 unless the Minister takes steps to prevent it.

I am not aware of the point made by the Deputy. I know of the various allegations but under the scheme single payments for exceptional need may be paid. The main items under this heading would be furniture, clothing, bedding, ESB bills. In some cases the goods are issued directly by the health board from their own stores. Supplementary payments are also made for rent, including the interest element on mortgage repayments. They are also made for extra heating requirements for individual families and for special diet requirements. Payments are also made under the national fuel scheme. The money is made available directly to the health boards and it is up to them to administer it in a fair and reasonable manner, taking into account the needs of individual families. The guidelines do not make exceptional provision for matters such as clothing for families and so on.

In order to clear up the question of whether these allegations are true, the Minister should insist that the health boards provide him with statistics as to the number and value of children's clothing grants issued by them in 1984 and 1983. I am positive they will show that there has been a cutback in clothing grants. If that is so, will the Minister insist that the health boards revert to the 1983 guidelines for clothing grants this year?

This is a matter for the Eastern Health Board, not the Minister for Social Welfare. In certain Eastern Health Board areas there was a development whereby there was an automatic expectation of automatic entitlement to assistance for children's school clothes in the case of persons in receipt of social welfare payments. There never has been an automatic entitlement under the scheme. The health board are enabled to make a simple payment of SWA to meet exceptional needs for clothing. This gave rise to considerable controversy last year when the health board tried to standardise their approach. They took that decision themselves; I did not take the decision. I do not direct the health board as to the minute categories of individual assessment of needs. It is quite impossible to do so. Needs are multiple, including clothing. I hope that whatever approach the board adopt internally for their community welfare officers will not lead to the kind of controversy which arose last year, largely from the fact that there was an automatic payment irrespective of assessment.