asked the Minister for Social Welfare why an applicant (name supplied) in County Wexford is being paid £2.05 weekly in unemployment assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Unemployment Assistance.
16.
For the purposes of the Unemployment Assistance Acts this person's means were assessed by a deciding officer at £4 a week derived from self-employment. The assessment was confirmed, on appeal, by an appeals officer whose decision is final in the absence of new facts or fresh evidence. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to the applicant, subject to the fulfilment by him of the usual conditions for receiving it, is therefore £2.05 weekly which is the difference between the maximum weekly rate of £6.05 at present payable to a single man living in a rural area and the weekly rate of means of £4 assessed in his case.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary accept that this man has done no gainful work in the past two years? He was a handyman electrician but as a result of decisions by ESB employees he cannot take part in that work anymore. Would the Parliamentary Secretary say how any man could assess him with an income of £4 in those circumstances?
As the Deputy is aware, a decision is made by two independent officers at two levels. The first decision was made by a deciding officer and this was appealed by the applicant. It was then referred to an appeals officer who confirmed the findings after an oral hearing.
I take it the Parliamentary Secretary accepts that what I say is true. Would he have the case looked at straightaway because there is a very serious injustice in this man's case? I am aware of the case and I know the man has not done any gainful work for many months, and how anyone could assess him with an income of £4 per week is beyond me. Would the Parliamentary Secretary have the case looked at again?
Yes. In view of the Deputy's appeal I will have the case looked at again, but I do not want to give rise to false hopes on behalf of the applicant because the information I have before me is that this case has already been reviewed.
The appeals officers on this occasion are certainly wrong.
Question No. 17.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary saying now that the appeals officer's decision is not final?
No. The Deputy has stated in the course of his supplementary that this man has not been engaged in gainful employment for the past two years. That would appear to be fresh facts which would justify looking at the case again. I would not like the Deputy to take it that any time a Deputy comes in and asks for such a matter to be reviewed it will automatically be done because it will not.
17.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why unemployment assistance has been reduced from £6.05 to £3.10 in respect of a person (name supplied) in County Offaly.
This person was in receipt of unemployment assistance at the maximum rate of £6.05 a week applicable to a single man living in a rural area. Following a reinvestigation, a deciding officer decided that the weekly rate of means, derived from capital and some property, should be increased to £2.95. The rate of unemployment assistance payable was thus reduced to £3.10 a week, that is £6.05 less the revised rate of means. The applicant has the right, if he so wishes, to appeal to an appeals officer against the decision given by the deciding officer.