20 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the benefits and allowances a person retains when transferring from unemployment assistance to a FÁS scheme, for example fuel allowance, butter vouchers, Christmas bonus and the back to school allowance. [2035/97]

Where a person has established an entitlement to certain additional benefits while claiming unemployment assistance, the person may retain their benefits for the duration of certain specified FÁS schemes.

The benefits which can be retained while on Community Employment Workplace, Jobstart, and the Part-time Job Opportunities programme are: fuel allowance; smokeless fuel allowance; Christmas bonus; butter vouchers; medical card; rent allowance; diet supplement; heating allowance; back to school clothing and footwear allowance and local authority differential rent. However, secondary benefits are retained by Jobstart participants for an initial 52 weeks, subject to a weekly income limit of £250 which applies to both Jobstart and Community Employment. Persons participating on the Job Initiative scheme do not retain secondary benefits, with the exception of the medical card. Persons on Jobstart and the Job Initiative however are also entitled to claim family income supplement, and the continued child payment scheme under which by long-term unemployed people retain entitlement to child dependent payments for 13 weeks which they take up employment.

21 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for Social Welfare the action, if any, he is taking to ensure that social welfare payments which are the responsibility of his Department are made to homeless persons and refugees in the Dublin area; and if he will ensure that appropriate accommodation standards are provided in relation to the operation of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in the area. [2359/97]

38 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Social Welfare the social welfare payments homeless persons are currently entitled to; if he will improve the accessibility of the welfare system to people who are homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2374/97]

I proposed to take Questions Nos. 21 and 38 together.