asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the long delays in payment of various Social Welfare benefits and the plans, if any, to improve the position.
202.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
201.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the lengthy delays being experienced in the payment of social welfare benefits and if he will make a statement on the matter.
203.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he intends taking urgent action to pay out the many outstanding children's allowances, social welfare benefits and old age and widows' pensions to qualified persons in Cork city and county in view of the serious hardship to many of these persons as reported to Members of the Oireachtas; if so, when; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
204.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the widespread dissatisfaction in County Donegal concerning the undue delay in the payment of social welfare benefits and pensions, that some recipients have been without payments for up to eight weeks, that where there is no other income unnecessary hardship is being caused to families and individuals, and the steps he proposes to take to have all payments brought up-to-date as a matter of urgency.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 to 204, inclusive, together.
Normally claims for most of the benefits, pensions and allowances administered by my Department are submitted by post and any necessary inquiries in connection with them are also made by post. During the postal dispute earlier this year only a small percentage of the claims arising during that period could be processed owing to the absence of postal deliveries.
On the termination of the dispute the arrears of claims which had accumulated during the months of March to June, inclusive, were submitted to my Department. This large volume of claims, which together with the normal intake of claims created a serious problem, is being cleared as expeditiously as possible. The staffs which deal with those claims have been working overtime on a continuous basis, including week-ends, since the termination of the postal dispute and a number of administrative measures have also been taken to improve the situation.
In consequence delays in payment have been reduced substantially in most areas and eliminated in some areas. In the majority of cases payment of benefit is being made promptly on the receipt of the necessary documents but in cases where inquiries are necessary some delay is still being experienced. It is anticipated, however, that all payments will be up-to-date by mid-December.
In the meantime any person in whose case payment has been delayed may apply to the local community welfare officer for a supplementary welfare allowance pending the receipt of any payment to which he is entitled from my Department.
205.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of insured workers presently in receipt of disability benefit who have not yet received pay-related benefit.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
Normally any delay in the payment of pay-related benefit arises where the reckonable earnings of the person claiming is not available to my Department. In such cases the persons concerned are advised individually of the position and requested to obtain a certificate of earnings from their employer. On receipt of the necessary certificate pay-related benefit, if any, is paid immediately.
206.
andMr. J. Ryan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is entitled to pay disability benefit in respect of persons who received supplementary welfare allowance directly to the health boards as is currently the practice.
Where a claimant for disability benefit receives payment of supplementary welfare allowance pending a decision on his claim the relevant regulations under the Social Welfare Acts provide for the recoupment to the health board of the amount of the allowance received out of the disability benefit to which he may be entitled.
During the recent postal dispute a small number of claimants received payment of disability benefit as well as supplementary welfare allowance in respect of the same period. On finding that in cases where disability benefit is still being paid my Department was making weekly deductions for recoupment to the health board of the supplementary welfare allowance overpaid, it was decided that these deductions should be discontinued.
207.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare in view of the chaotic position in relation to social welfare recipients in the Munster area, if he will decentralise the Department and establishment offices in Limerick city to cater for the mid-west region.
I am not aware that the conditions described by the Deputy exist in the Munster area. Such delays as have occurred in recent months have been entirely due to the postal strike. If the Deputy has any instances in mind in which he considers that there are undue delays, I will have them looked into on receipt of the necessary details.
I do not consider that the suggestion made by the Deputy would in fact improve the situation.
208.
andMr. J. Ryan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of female school leavers eligible for unemployment assistance, in receipt of same, and the total number of applications received since the amendment of the Social Welfare Act.
The statistics sought by the Deputies are not maintained in my Department. While it is not possible to identify female school leavers, statistics show that resulting from the amendment of the Social Welfare Acts an additional 2,100 female claimants are presently in receipt of unemployment assistance.
209.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange that supplementary benefit payable to a person (details supplied) in Dublin, be transferred from the present venue for payment purposes to Marino Dispensary in view of the medical circumstances.
I have arranged that payment of supplementary welfare allowance to the person concerned will in future be made at Marino Health Centre.