asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an individual (details supplied) in Dublin has applied for a disability pension; and the stage investigations have reached in connection with any such application; and when a decision will be made.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
146.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit from 10 February 1978. He is, in addition, receiving pay-related benefit, title to which will be exhausted on 3 April 1979.
As pay-related benefit is not payable to persons in receipt of invalidity pension it would not be in his interest financially to transfer to invalidity pension until 4 April 1979 when his pay-related benefit will have ceased. A form on which he may claim invalidity pension will be issued to him before that date.
147.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if investigations have yet been completed into the claim of an individual (details supplied) in Dublin for entitlement to disability pension; if he will expedite the inquiries if necessary; and the decision which will be made in the case.
Disablement pension at the rate appropriate to a degree of disablement assessed at 40 per cent has recently been awarded to the person referred to by the Deputy as from 20 January 1978. Owing to the disruption of the postal service, however, it has not been possible to communicate this decision to him. A cheque in respect of arrears of disablement pension from 20 January 1978 is available for collection at the employment exchange, Bray.
148.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have disability benefit paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The claim by the person concerned for sickness benefit is proper to the British Department of Health and Social Security to whom the relevant claim form was transmitted by my Department on 15 January 1979. It is possible that payments of benefit are held up due to the postal dispute. If so the person should apply to the local community welfare officer for interim payment of supplementary welfare allowance.
149.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will investigate and explain the substantial discrepancies in the amount of weekly sickness benefit paid to an individual (details supplied) in Dublin within the terms of the legislation governing such payments.
The person referred to by the Deputy claimed disability benefit in respect of the period 5 February to 27 February 1979. He was entitled to payment at the rate of £49 a week, as a married man with seven qualified children, plus £1 a week pay-related benefit. He was paid in the ordinary way on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity up to 10 February. In order to avoid hardship to him during the disruption of postal services a double week's payment of £100 issued to him on 23 February 1979. A further payment of £50 issued on 27 February 1979.
150.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an individual (details supplied) in Dublin, is eligible for the free fuel scheme administered either by Bray UDC or Dublin County Council, and if he expects that such a person, if ineligible, will be eligible under the terms of the revised scheme which is currently being drawn up.
As the person concerned does not reside in one of the urban areas in which the cheap fuel scheme operates he does not qualify under the scheme. The scheme does not apply in the Dublin County Council area where he resides.
As I have stated in reply to earlier questions on this subject I set up a working group some time ago to carry out a review of the cheap fuel scheme and heating services generally for the needy. The report of this group is at present under examination in my Department.