asked the Minister for Social Welfare the authority for deducting from unemployment benefit amounts paid to an insured person by way of home assistance; and under what circumstances this is done.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Benefit Deductions.
6.
The authority is contained in section 32 (2) of the Social Welfare Act, 1952, which enables regulations to be made to provide for recoupment from the Social Insurance Fund to a public assistance authority of sums, or such portion thereof as may be prescribed, paid by way of home assistance in respect of periods during which benefit was not received. Regulations made accordingly permit the recoupment to a public assistance authority, at the request of the authority, of home assistance paid in respect of periods for which arrears of unemployment benefit subsequently become payable. The amount deductible from the arrears of benefit is the difference between the home assistance granted and what would have been granted had unemployment benefit been in payment during the period.
Could the Minister say is the money deducted on application from the local health board?
Yes. The arrangement is that, while a person is waiting to have his qualifications examined, the home assistance people are entitled to pay him and this is deductible finally.
Is it deductible on application?
It is deductible under a joint regulation between the health board and my Department.
Is it deducted automatically or is there a request from the health board for it?
I take it it is on request.
If no request is made by the health board would the Minister say by what authority the Department deduct the money?
There is an existing arrangement whereby this is done.
Question No. 7.
This is a serious matter.
Every question the Deputy asks is a serious matter. There are other serious questions on the Order Paper. The Deputy has asked three supplementaries.
I have not yet got an answer to them.
There are only 21 questions.
There are only 21 questions and I have not got an answer yet. There are only 21 questions and we have a lot of time. I am asking the Minister where an application has not been made does he feel the Department are acting properly in deducting the money?
We are statutorily bound to take notice of what——
Surely the Minister is wrong? Surely he knows that unless an application is made to his Department no repayment has to be made?
It need not necessarily be. There is communication between the two Departments at the time when out-payments are made.
There is no question of two Departments. This is purely a matter between the local health board and the Department. Unless there is a specific amount demanded, which is very often not the whole amount paid, no deduction is made. The Minister should know that and should tell the House that.
I want an answer to my question from the Minister.
Would the Deputy please sit down and allow Questions to continue?
This money was deducted without a request from the health board. I am asking by what authority his Department deducted that money.
I answered the question several times if the Deputy wished to listen. There is an existing arrangement that any home assistance paid is deductible when we come to make a final payment. If the health authority feel it should not be deducted it is up to them to tell us.
(Interruptions.)
I will put down a specific question now.