asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make alterations in the system of calculating incomes for old age pension purposes in view of the fact that a person (name supplied) in County Meath who was in receipt of a disabled person's allowance from the health board was offered a lower rate of old age pension in consequence of his Department's method of income calculation.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
129.
It has been ascertained from the health board concerned that the disabled persons maintenance allowance which the person named in the question had been receiving was terminated by the board because it transpired that means which had not been assessed against him at the time of claiming the allowance should have been taken into account. In the means assessment for old age pension purposes the means in question were taken into account. The Deputy will no doubt appreciate therefore that the method of means assessment for old age pension purposes was not an issue in this case.
131.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in the case of persons who reach the age of 70 years and fail to apply for a contributory old age pension, he will arrange to have payment of the pension back-dated to their seventieth birthday in cases in which their contributions would entitle them to payment of the pension from that date.
As a result of improvements in the old age pension code initiated in July, 1973, the qualifying age for pension is now 68.
Existing regulations governing the claiming and payment of pension permit a pension to be paid to a claimant from the time he reaches age 68 if his claim is made within a period of three months before or three months after that date. Where it can be shown that delay in making a claim was due to circumstances beyond the person's control, retrospective payment can be made for a period of up to six months. I regard these provisions as being adequate in the circumstances to prevent hardship.
132.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his Department will supply the British social security authorities with the information they require concerning an application for a retirement pension by a person (name supplied) in County Meath as the delay is holding up a decision on the matter and the person concerned has not received any money from the Irish or British Departments for the past few months.
The person concerned has no entitlement to retirement pension on his Irish insurance alone. Irish insurance can however affect his British pension entitlement under EEC regulations. Due to the fact that he has been unable to give sufficient information to enable his full Irish insurance record to be established in respect of employment which he claims to have had in this country, it has not proved possible so far for my Department to supply the British authorities with the information they require. They are being informed of the position and are being requested to examine his pension entitlement on the basis of his British insurance. Inquiries necessary to establish his full Irish contribution position are being continued.
134.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (name supplied) in County Meath who first applied on 29th August, 1974; and the reason for the delay in dealing with this case.
The person referred to by the Deputy is not entitled to disability benefit on his claim as he does not satisfy the contribution condition which requires a claimant to have a minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in the contribution year governing his claim. The claimant was insurably employed for only ten weeks in the period January to December, 1973, which is the contribution year governing his claim.
Although he was incapable of work from 26th August, 1974, the claim was not received in the Department until 23rd September, 1974, and at that date there was no information available regarding his employment in 1973. Inquiries then made disclosed insurable employment for only ten weeks and contributions due were collected.
135.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the manner in which he proposes to allocate the money collected by way of social welfare contributions from persons in higher income groups in view of the fact that they are not at present eligible for social welfare benefits or benefits under the Health Acts; and if he will refund the money to these persons until such time as they may qualify for such benefits.
The Deputy appears to be under a misapprehension concerning the position of persons in higher income groups who are paying social insurance contributions. Such persons are in fact generally eligible for social welfare benefits in the same way as other insured workers. There are however some who, because they became insured too late in life, will not qualify for retirement or contributory old age pensions. The element appropriate to these pensions in their share of the social insurance contribution is refundable.
Employees not eligible for hospital services under the Health Acts do not contribute any element in their total weekly social insurance contribution in respect of health services. In such cases the weekly health contribution falls on the employer who, as already announced, may claim a refund of the amount involved at intervals to suit his convenience.
136.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to to increase the rate of unemployment assistance, which is 25p per week at present, payable to a fisherman (name supplied) in County Meath who has been unemployed since the end of the fishing season.
The unemployment assistance rate of 25p per week in this case derives from a decision of a deciding officer assessing the person's means at £5.80 per week. The person has appealed against this decision and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as the appeals officer has given his decision in the light of the result of further inquiries which have been directed by him.
The Deputy will appreciate that the determination of means for the purposes of the Unemployment Assistance Acts is a matter for statutory deciding officers or appeals officers and that neither the Minister nor anyone else can give instructions to those officers in the exercise of that function.