asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that, under the regulations for the payment of a death grant, relatives of those who died between 1st October, 1970 and 31st March, 1971 are deprived of this grant; and if he will make the necessary amendments to the regulations to ensure that such relatives will benefit.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Death Grants.
46.
Provision was made in the Social Welfare Act, 1970 for a scheme of death grants which came into operation on 1st October, 1970 and increased social welfare contributions giving cover for these grants were payable from that date. A contribution condition set out in the Act stipulates that the insured person in respect of whose insurance a death grant is payable must have not less than twenty-six employment contributions paid in respect of him from the date on which the scheme commenced. In the case of persons who have been ill or unemployed, transitional regulations provide that contributions credited in respect of such illness or unemployment may be reckoned in making up the twenty-six contributions mentioned.
I have no power to alter the statutory provision so as to enable a death grant to be paid in respect of an insured person who died on a date before twenty-six reckonable contributions could have been accumulated.
In the circular sent to people who apply for the death grant, it is stated that the deceased must have had not fewer than 26 contributions from the time they first joined the scheme or since the scheme came into operation, the 1st October, whichever is the later. I see Deputy Tully is nodding his head but he is doing so wrongly because I have read copies of this circular and I am aware of the number of people who were deprived of this grant by virtue of the regulations set out in this circular. I am asking that the Minister have the words "whichever is the later" deleted.
The Deputy is making a suggestion.
I am asking the Minister to delete the words thereby enabling people who are in need of the grant to benefit from it.
I was trying to indicate to my colleague that was only one of the conditions. There is another to which he has not referred.
This clause is the cause of depriving many people of the grant. I do not believe it is in the Act but is merely a regulation that has been put in.
The Deputy is making a statement now.
I am asking the Minister to change the regulation.
What the Chair is saying is that the Deputy is making a statement.
Would the Minister consider deleting that regulation especially since the number of people concerned would be relatively few?
I will convey the Deputy's remarks to the Minister.
Will the Minister communicate with the Deputy?
I shall ask him to do so.