asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay of some five months in processing the social welfare claim of a girl (name supplied) in Dublin who has the qualifying number of stamps over the preceding four years; and if he will make a statement on the propriety of the inquiries made by his Department from the employers of the girl's father as to his income without his permission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Welfare Claim.
21.
There has been no undue delay in processing the application in this case. A claim for unemployment benefit made by the person concerned on 27th September, 1976, was disallowed by a deciding officer on the ground that she did not satisfy the statutory condition for entitlement to such benefit which required her to have had not less than 26 contributions paid or credited in respect of her in the 1974-1975 governing contribution year. She was notified of this decision and of her right to appeal against it if she was dissatisfied but she did not do so. The question of her entitlement to unemployment benefit was reviewed when the year 1975-1976 became the governing contribution year with effect from 6th December, 1976, but she did not satisfy the relevant contribution condition in respect of that year either.
Her application for a qualification certificate, which is a necessary requirement for entitlement to unemployment assistance, was disallowed on the ground that she did not satisfy the contribution condition, applicable in the case of a single woman without dependants, that at least 52 employment contributions have been paid in respect of her in the relevant four contribution years preceding her application.
Later, however, on 11th January, 1977, she submitted to my Department a British insurance card with six contributions affixed in respect of employment in Britain which she had not previously brought to notice and which enabled her to satisfy the contribution requirement referred to for unemployment assistance purposes. Her case was accordingly referred to the local social welfare officer for a report on her means. On the basis of the officer's report the deciding officer has now given a revised decision disallowing her application for a qualification certificate on the ground that she had not furnished particulars of her means as required by the Unemployment Assistance Acts and regulations and thus had not shown that her means did not exceed the statutory limit for entitlement thereto applicable in her case. She is being notified of this decision and of her right to appeal against it if she is dissatisfied.
One of the items which must be taken into account in the assessment of means for unemployment assistance purposes is the yearly value of any benefit or privilege enjoyed by an applicant such as free or partly free board and lodging and for this purpose the applicant was requested to furnish particulars of her father's earnings. To assist the applicant the social welfare officer also addressed an inquiry in the matter to the latter's employers. I regret that this action was taken without first obtaining her father's consent. However, the information required has not been forthcoming from the employer, the applicant or her father and the deciding officer accordingly disallowed the application for a qualification certificate on the grounds already indicated.