asked the Minister Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of widows and orphans pension will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
415.
The arrears of widow's pension due to the person concerned were withheld pending inquiries to the Southern Health Board as to the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her during the period for which the arrears accrued. After deduction of the amount of the allowance paid by the community welfare officer payment of the balance of the arrears has now been made.
416.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of social welfare assistance allowance due for some months will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Kerry.
In July 1979 the person concerned claimed social assistance allowance as an unmarried mother in respect of a child born on 26 January 1979. Following investigation of her means she was awarded the allowance at the maximum rate and an allowance order book payable from 15 November 1979 was issued to the Post Office designated to her. As however she had been paid supplementary welfare allowance and disabled person's maintenance allowance by the Southern Health Board the arrears of unmarried mother's allowance from February to November 1979 were held pending confirmation of the amount of supplementary welfare allowance due for refund to the board. The balance of the arrears of the allowance has now been paid to her.
417.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of widows pension due will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned was awarded a widow's contributory pension at the maximum rate from 1 June 1979 and a pension book payable from October 1979 issued to her at that date. The arrears of pension from June to October were held pending inspection of her husband's old age pension book to ascertain the date to which it was cashed.
The husband's pension book which is stated to have been handed in at Tralee Employment Exchange has been mislaid but it has been accepted that it was not cashed beyond the due date. As it has been verified that the widow was not in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance after that husband's death it has been decided to pay the arrears of pension in respect of the period 1 June to 25 October 1979. A payable order for the amount has now been issued to her.
418.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of old age pension due since August 1979 will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The arrears of non-contributory old age pension due from 25 August 1979, have been issued to the person concerned.
419.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of widows pension will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a widow's contributory pension at the maximum rate since 1966. On the termination of the postal dispute last year a pension order book containing orders from July to September 1979 which issued to her at her present address was returned to my Department marked "not known at this address". Following the receipt of representations from the Deputy at the end of January last a payable order for the amount of the pension due for the period in question issued to her last week.
420.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will outline the means taken into consideration which rendered an applicant (details supplied) in County Dublin ineligible for old age pension.
The means taken into consideration which rendered the person concerned ineligible for non-contributory old age pension included the weekly value of investments, capital and the capital value of a one-third share in lands. No appeal has been lodged to date against the pension committee's decision disallowing the claim.
421.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider making pro-rata old age contributory pensions available to social welfare contributors whose average annual contributions are less than 20 for the entire reckonable period but exceed 20 for the actual years of contribution; and, if in a particular case (details supplied) in Dublin any concession will be made or alternative pension paid in view of the facts of the case.
Old age contributory pension under the Social Welfare Acts is payable to persons over 66 years of age who had entered insurance prior to attaining age 56 years and have paid ordinary rate social insurance contributions for at least 3 years and have a yearly average of 20 contributions paid and/or credited since 1953 or since the date of entry into insurance whichever is the later. Prior to 1973 the yearly average was 24 paid or credited contributions but when pension age was reduced the average was lowered in order to avoid hardship to persons who might otherwise have qualified for a contributory pension but for this reduction. It is not proposed at present to lower the yearly average of contributions paid or credited below the existing level. The matter is, however, being examined in connection with the proposed introduction of a scheme of income-related pensions.
The person referred to by the Deputy was employed in a temporary capacity by CIE up to 1960 when he was admitted to the company's pension scheme on his promotion to foreman. As a result he ceased to be insurable under the Social Welfare Acts for old age contributory pensions purposes. Subsequent to his retirement on pension in 1975 he applied for an old age contributory pension but he was not qualified as his yearly average reckonable contributions from 1953 was less than 20. He appealed against the decision disallowing his claim for an old age contributory pension but the appeals officer to whom the matter was referred upheld the decision.
On the claim form for contributory pension he intimated that he did not wish to be considered for a non-contributory old age pension.