asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is prepared to increase (a) deserted wives' allowances and (b) widows' pensions due to the abnormal increase in the cost of living.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
8.
The rates of allowance payable under the scheme of deserted wife's allowances which came into operation on the 1st October, 1970, are the same as those payable to recipients of non-contributory widows' pensions. The rates of these pensions as well as the rates of contributory widows' pensions were increased substantially as from the 7th August, 1970, and the 2nd October, 1970, respectively. I am not aware of any abnormal increase in the cost of living since then and in any event the question of improvements in social welfare payments is a matter which must await consideration in connection with the Budget.
If the Minister is not aware of any abnormal increase in the cost of living, the poor certainly are. Would the Minister not admit that, with the abnormal increase in the cost of living, the allowance paid to these people is ludicrous? Would the Minister also admit that, were it not for the voluntary organisations like the St. Vincent de Paul and others, these people would be on the starvation line? Would he not give these people an increase of at least £1 per month or, rather, per week before the next Budget to tide them over in the interim and enable them to live in ordinary frugal comfort?
All the increases given in these payments in the past number of years were far in excess of what the increase in the cost of living would have justified.
Deputies
Oh!
As a matter of interest to Deputies, the pension paid to widows in 1959 was 19s 6d. Today that pension has been increased by 271 per cent. The cost of living increase in the same period was 66 per cent. We cannot, therefore, be accused of merely keeping in step with the rise in the cost of living.
Is the Minister not satisfied that, were it not for the St. Vincent de Paul and other organisations, these people would be on the starvation line now? That is true of Mullingar and County Westmeath as a whole. It is also true of the country as a whole. The Minister is a member of the affluent society now.
Is it not a fact that a deserted wife with a young family can get only £6 10s maximum to keep her family and her home?
Yes. There was a time when she got nothing.
That is a ridiculous sum.
The Deputies over there are all very benevolent after we have tried to remedy the situation.
9.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount paid in unemployment benefit to inhabitants of the island of Inis Mór for the years 1950, 1960, 1969 and 1970; and if he will give a seasonal breakdown of the amounts.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have it circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
|
Year |
Quarter ended 31st March |
Quarter ended 30th June |
Quarter ended 30th September |
Quarter ended 31st December |
Total |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
1969 |
3,010 |
2,716 |
2,021 |
2,062 |
9,809 |
|
1970 |
2,847 |
3,600 |
3,872 |
3,720 |
14,039 |
Figures for the years 1950 and 1960 are not available as all relevant documents have been destroyed.
Is the Minister aware that in a number of places the back money has been paid to the local home assistance officer and not to the deserted wife? Is this a general practice?
I am not so aware.
I am aware that back money has been paid to the local home assistance officers since October last. Is that a general practice?
It is quite possible that we have recouped what was paid in the meantime. That is quite possible.
10.
Mr. J. Lenehan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider abolishing the present regulations under which evidence of unemployment, in the case of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance recipients, is certified; and if he will introduce a scheme whereby sub-postmasters may certify when cashing the certificates.
The existing arrangements whereby certain recipients of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance are required to have their weekly declarations of unemployment certified by the Garda are under consideration. I am not in a position to say at this stage what changes, if any, may be made.
11.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the proposal to establish a signing centre for recipients of unemployment assistance in Kilcummin, Killarney, County Kerry; and whether he will make a statement regarding proposals to allow sub-postmasters to certify signatures of recipients of such assistance.
As regard the first part of the question, there is no change in the position since March last when the Deputy was advised that it was not feasible to establish a signing centre at Kilcummin for unemployment assistance recipients.
As regards the second part, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 10 which I have just answered.
12.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare what the position is with regard to the application for unemployment assistance by a person (name supplied).
The person referred to applied for unemployment assistance on 9th October, 1970 and was paid at the maximum appropriate rate pending re-investigation of his means, which had not been examined since 1959. Following the re-investigation it was decided by a deciding officer that he was no longer entitled to hold a qualification certificate on the grounds that he failed to show that his means do not exceed £322 16s a year which is the means limit for obtaining a qualification certificate in his case. This decision took effect from 18th November, 1970 and payment of unemployment assistance accordingly ceased from that date. He appealed against the decision and the matter was referred to an appeals officer who requested further information in the case. I have asked that the final decision in the matter be expedited.
Could the Minister say what this man is expected to live on in the meantime?
Fresh air.
That is a simple question that is commonly asked but one of things that does raise a doubt in anybody's mind is that he had not been signing for unemployment assistance during a long period during which he said he was unemployed. He had not claimed at all. This certainly raises a doubt.
The point is: what is he expected to live on in the meantime? Surely, it should not take nearly two-and-a-half months to make a decision?
The investigations have not met with the co-operation which I think our officers would like to get.
From the applicant.
Yes.
Would the Minister answer the first supplementary question: what is he expected to live on in the meantime?
I could counter that by asking what did he live on for a number of years when he did not even claim although he was unemployed?
That is what the Department are supposed to investigate and it has taken two-and-a-half months to discover nothing.
We shall get the decision soon now and I shall communicate it to the Deputy.