asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of non-contributory old age pension appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for pension has been lodged.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit Appeals.
42.
There are 381 of these appeals on hands, four of them from persons resident in County Kildare. The appeal longest outstanding was made on the 6th December, 1963, the corresponding Kildare appeal on 9th November, 1964. The oldest claim not yet finally decided was made on the 8th November, 1963, the oldest from Kildare was received on 8th September, 1964. In both instances, appeals are held in abeyance awaiting information from the claimants.
43.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of contributory old age pension appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for pension has been lodged.
There are 63 old age (contributory) pension appeal cases awaiting decision and of these three are from addresses in County Kildare.
The appeal longest on hands was received on 10th June, 1963, while the oldest appeal from County Kildare was received on 1st September, 1964.
The application for pension longest on hands is an appeal received in 1963, and was, of course, decided by a deciding officer against whose decision the claimant appealed. The application from County Kildare longest on hands is one which was received on 19th August, 1964, decided by a deciding officer on 25th August, 1964, and appealed by the claimant on 1st September, 1964.
I would point out to the Deputy that the time taken to decide straightforward applications for old age (contributory) pension varies from three to six days. In cases where this time is exceeded, inquiries, which may be protracted, are made in an effort to establish title to the pension. Appeals cases normally involve extensive inquiries and there is an inevitable delay in finalising them.
44.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of non-contributory widows' pension appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for pension has been lodged.
The information required by the Deputy is as follows:
(1) Number of non-contributory widows' pensions appeals awaiting decision 139
(2) Number of non-contributory widows' pensions appeals relating to County Kildare awaiting decision 2
(3) (a) as respects (1)
(i) the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer is 19 months,
(ii) the greatest length of time that an application relating to a pension on appeal has been lodged is 22 months.
(b) as respects (2)
(i) the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer is 5 months,
(ii) the greatest length of time that an application relating to a pension on appeal has been lodged is 7 months.
45.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of contributory widows' pension appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for pension has been lodged.
The information required by the Deputy is as follows:
(1) Number of contributory widows' pension appeals awaiting decision 21
(2) Number of contributory widows' pension appeals relating to County Kildare awaiting decision Nil
(3) (a) as respects (1)
(i) the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer is 6 months;
(ii) the greatest length of time that an application relating to a pension on appeal has been lodged is 12 months;
(b) as respects (2) the questions are not applicable.
46.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of disability benefit appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for benefit has been lodged.
There are 551 disability benefit appeals awaiting decision in my Department of which nine are in respect of claimants resident in County Kildare. The greatest length of time that an appeal has been with an appeals officer for decision is since 26 May, 1964, the period in dispute being from 10 February, 1964 to 20 March, 1964; the County Kildare appeal which is the longest outstanding was referred to an appeals officer on 18 January, 1965, the period in dispute being from 5 August, 1964 to 28 September, 1964.
47.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of unemployment benefit appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for benefit has been lodged.
48.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare (1) the number of unemployment assistance appeals at present awaiting decision in his Department, (2) the number of such appeals which relate to Kildare constituency (or County Kildare), and (3) if he will state in respect of (1) and (2) above the greatest length of time that an appeal has been with the appeals officer for decision, and the greatest length of time that an application for assistance has been lodged.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together.
The information requested is not centrally available and it is necessary to assemble it from the various employment exchanges throughout the country. I am having this done and the results will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as the collection and collation of the information has been completed.