asked the Minister for Social Welfare why unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (name supplied) in County Laois.
Written Answers. - Laois Social Welfare Payments.
60.
Arrangements were made for payment of all arrears of unemployment assistance due to the person concerned on 5th February, 1976. Further payments will continue as they fall due.
61.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why deserted wife's allowance was refused over a period to a person (name supplied) in County Laois; and if she will now be paid what is due to her.
A deserted wife's allowance has been continuously in payment to the person named by the Deputy since 21st January, 1971. This allowance was reduced to the personal rate with effect from 5th July, 1973, when she ceased to have a qualified dependant.
According to the information on the original claim form the applicant was under 40 years of age in July, 1973, when her last qualified dependant ceased to reside in the State. On that basis she was not entitled to the deserted wife's allowance, but due to an oversight payment of the allowance continued. The apparent error came to light in September, 1975, when it was also found that her dependant had resumed living with her on 4th July, 1974. This meant that she was again entitled to the deserted wife's allowance from that date, but would have been disqualified on age grounds between July, 1973, and July, 1974. The applicant then stated, however, that her date of birth had been wrongly taken as 15th November, 1935, when it was, in fact, 15th November, 1929. In view of the possibility of an earlier overpayment, the arrears due from July, 1974, in respect of her dependant were withheld until the position regarding her date of birth was clarified. She was unable to furnish a birth certificate to support her claim that she was born in 1929 and inquiries at the General Register Office failed to trace such an entry. She has now, however, furnished a baptismal certificate showing her date of birth as 15th November, 1929, and this has been accepted. A payable order for £182.70 covering the arrears due has accordingly been sent to her.
62.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why unemployment assistance has been refused to a person (name supplied) in County Laois.
Unemployment assistance is not payable to the person concerned as his weekly rate of means as assessed for unemployment assistance purposes, by a deciding officer, and subsequently by an appeals officer exceeds the maximum rate of assistance which would be payable in his case.
63.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why no pay-related benefit has yet been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
Inquiries regarding the earnings of the person concerned during the 1973-74 income tax year were necessary as the information was not available in my Department. These inquiries have now been completed and arrangements have been made with the local officer to have payment of all pay-related benefit due to him made this week.
64.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the outcome of the appeal of a person (details supplied) in County Laois against a decision not to award him unemployment assistance.
The application of the person concerned for unemployment assistance was disallowed by decision of a deciding officer with effect from 5th June, 1975, on the ground that he was not unemployed. He appealed against the decision. The appeals officer, after an oral hearing at which the applicant attended and gave evidence, upheld the decision of the deciding officer in respect of two weeks in each of the months from June to October, 1975, inclusive, and in respect of one week in November, 1975. He allowed the applicant's appeal for the balance of the period 5th June, 1975, to 18th November, 1975.
On the basis of this decision payment of unemployment assistance has been restored to the applicant subject to a weekly deduction in recovery of the amount overpaid to him in respect of the weeks for which his appeal was unsuccessful.
65.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the progress made since August, 1975, with the British Department of Health and Social Security in determining the qualification of a person (name supplied) in County Laois for a contributory old age pension.
The person concerned is receiving a British retirement pension of £9.06 a week and in addition is receiving from my Department a noncontributory old age pension of £9.30 a week. His wife is receiving a retirement pension of £5.29 a week on his British insurance. On his Irish insurance, which ceased in 1944, he has no entitlement to a contributory old age pension and he has no Irish pension entitlement under EEC regulations on a combination of his Irish and British insurances. The British authorities have not so far notified my Department of their final decision in his case. It is understood that investigation is being continued by them in an effort to trace earlier British insurance in respect of him which in combination with his Irish insurance might serve to secure for him a marginal increase in his British pension.
66.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the result of the reinvestigation of the means of a person (details supplied) in County Laois in relation to his application for increased unemployment assistance.
The report of the social welfare officer who carried out the reinvestigation of means in this case has not yet been received. Every effort is being made to have the report furnished as soon as possible, following which a decision will be given without delay on the application of the person concerned for an increased rate of unemployment assistance.
67.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why no reply, apart from the standard acknowledgment, was issued to Deputy Lalor's letter of 25th October, 1975, seeking additional unemployment assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Laois.
I regret that a reply to the Deputy was deferred pending receipt of a report regarding a reinvestigation of the means of the person concerned. This report has only now come to hand and arrangements are being made to have his means reviewed and the result communicated to the Deputy at the earliest possible moment.
68.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a retirement. pension is not yet payable to a person (name supplied) in County Laois.
The only insurance contributions received in my Department in respect of the employment in this country of the person concerned were paid for the purpose of widows' and orphans' pensions only and are not reckonable for retirement pension. On this insurance, therefore, he has no entitlement to retirement pension.
However, as a result of information given by him in connection with his claim for retirement pension the insurability of his employment in this country has been investigated and it has been decided that ordinary rate contributions, which are reckonable for retirement pension, were payable in respect of that employment. This decision has been appealed, however, by the employer involved and until the appeal is decided it is not possible to say what his retirement pension position will be. His case will be reviewed immediately a decision is given on the appeal.