asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a new children's allowance book will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
89.
The appropriate allowance book, effective from July, 1976, was issued to the person concerned in this case on 20th August, 1976.
90.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made regarding the claim for unemployment benefit by a person (name supplied) in County Meath whose case has been under consideration since July, 1976.
A claim for unemployment benefit made by the person concerned on 12th July, 1976 was disallowed by a deciding officer on the ground that she did not satisfy the statutory condition for entitlement to unemploymen benefit which requires that not less than 26 employment contributions must have been paid in respect of her. Following investigation of her employment by a social welfare officer, a deciding officer decided that her employment from 1st September, 1975, to 2nd July, 1976, was insurable at the domestic rate. This decision was appealed against by the employer but the appeal has been disallowed by an appeals officer. Contributions are therefore now due from the employer in respect of the period of employment and arrangements have been put in train to have them paid. The claim for unemployment benefit from the person here concerned will be dealt with immediately this has been done.
91.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a non-contributory old age pension book and arrears forwarded to a person (name supplied) in County Cork and to have her electricity allowance sanctioned.
It was decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is not entitled to an old age non-contributory pension on the ground that her means exceed the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. The appeals officer's decision was conveyed by the local old age pension committee to the claimant on 23rd June, 1976.
The grant of a free electricity allowance under the scheme administered by my Department is confined to persons who are in receipt of certain social security type pensions. As the person concerned is not the holder of an appropriate pension she cannot qualify for the free electricity allowance.
92.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the net loss to the Exchequer of reducing employers' social insurance contributions to those of employees generally.
The latest year for which information is available as to the numbers of social insurance contributions paid—including contributions in respect of social welfare, occupational injuries, redundancy and health—is 1975. Applying the present rates to the numbers of contributions paid in 1975, it is estimated that the additional cost to the Exchequer in a full year of reducing the employers' share of the total amount paid in contributions to that paid by employees would be of the order of £50 million.
93.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the gross and net cost to the Exchequer of a 10 per cent increase in all social insurance and social assistance rates of benefit, including dependants' benefits and a similar adjustment of children's allowances, from 1st October to 31st December, 1976; and the net cost in a full year.
It is estimated that the gross cost of an increase of 10 per cent in the rates of all social insurance and social assistance payments, including increases for adult and child dependants and a similar adjustment of children's allowances from 1st October to 31st December, 1976, would be £11½ million. The net cost to the Exchequer of such an increase would be about £6½ million.
It is estimated that the net cost to the Exchequer in a full year of an increase of 10 per cent in the rates of all social insurance and social assistance payments, including increases for adult and child dependants and a similar adjustment of children's allowances, would be £25 million.
94.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (name supplied) in County Meath.
Arrangements have been made for payment this week of all unemployment benefit due to the person concerned on his claim of 18th September, 1976. Further payments will continue as they fall due. His entitlement to pay-related benefit will be determined as soon as he submits the necessary certificate from his former employer regarding his earnings and tax deductions.
95.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when children's allowance books will be returned to a person (name supplied) in County Meath.
The appropriate allowance book was reissued to the person concerned in this case on 14th October, 1976.
96.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why occupational injury benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
The delay in paying occupational injury benefit to the person referred to by the Deputy was due to the fact that when he first claimed benefit in respect of an infected finger he furnished only the two medical certificates which covered the first two weeks of his absence from work. He subsequently furnished medical certificates which could not be associated with his claim as they did not carry his address or insurance number. Later still, he submitted certificates certifying incapacity from an infected finger which overlapped with certification of incapacity from a lacerated knee in respect of the same dates and also covered a period during which he was working.
Before the periods of absence from work and the origins of his injuries were established it was necessary to investigate the claim through his employers who have now confirmed that this person had two accidents at work on 2nd July, 1976 and 28th August, 1976. The employer has also confirmed absence from work from 2nd August to date and injury benefit has been awarded in respect of these periods. Arrangements are being made to issue payment immediately.