asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay to date in dealing with an application for an old age pension (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - County Galway Social Welfare Benefits.
28.
A decision will be given on this case by an appeals officer of my Department as soon as confirmation is received that the deed of transfer of the holding has been stamped.
29.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons for the reduction in the rate of old age pensions payable to persons (details supplied) in County Galway.
The old age pensions in question have not been reduced.
30.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in dealing with an application for an old age pension (details supplied) in County Galway and if he will make a statement on the matter.
A decision will be given on this case by an appeals officer of my Department as soon as confirmation is received that the deed of transfer of the holding has been stamped.
31.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons a person (name supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to unemployment assistance.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance could not be determined until the completion of necessary inquiries. These inquiries have been completed and arrangements have now been made to pay all unemployment assistance due to claimant.
47.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of an old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who applied in March 1979.
The local pension committee decided, on 11 August 1979, that the means of the person concerned were in excess of the statutory limit and that pension was not, therefore, payable. A repeat claim was received in my Department on 19 December 1979. The claim has been investigated and pension at the maximum rate has been recommended. A pension book payable from 11 January 1980 has issued and a payable order in respect of arrears from 19 December 1979 is in course of issue.
48.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in giving a decision on the claim for an old age pension of a person (details supplied) in County Galway who applied six months ago.
The person concerned was born in July 1914 and as he has not attained age 66 years he is not qualified on age grounds for an old age pension.
However, he claimed a retirement pension on 3 July 1979. As it is one of the conditions for the receipt of such pension that the person must have retired from employment, the employer was requested to confirm the date of cessation of employment. The employer stated that employment had continued up to 7 September 1979, whereas the claimant had stated in his application form that he had ceased work on 28 June 1979. As no social insurance contributions were paid in respect of him after 1973, it was not possible to verify from the stamped cards the actual date of cessation of employment. As he has stated that he was employed from 1974 to 1979 further action is being taken locally to secure payment of the outstanding contributions in respect of this period.
In the meantime, he has been awarded a retirement pension at a reduced rate of £18.35 from 13 September 1979, increased to £19.35 from 4 October 1979. His pension book, payable from 3 January 1980, was issued to Moylough Post Office and arrears of pension from September to December 1979 were issued by payable order on 22 February 1980.
When the inquiries regarding the contributions due from 1974 to 1979 are completed the case will be reviewed and if he is entitled to an increase in the rate of pension an adjusting payment will be made to him.
49.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons a pension has not been paid for almost 12 months to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned reached age 65 years, which is the qualifying age for retirement pension, on 20 January 1979 but he did not apply for the pension until 22 November 1979. In the meantime he had been in receipt of disability benefit from my Department from January 1979 to 8 May 1979.
As it is one of the conditions for the receipt of retirement pension that the claimant must have retired from insurable employment, it was necessary to ascertain whether he had in fact so retired. It was also necessary to obtain from him his wife's birth certificate and his marriage certificate, which he had failed to supply with his application form for the pension.
He has been awarded a retirement pension at the maximum rate appropriate to a married man, back-dated to 9 May 1979, the date from which payment of disability benefit ceased. His rate of pension is £30.50 from 9 May 1979, increased to £32.10 from 4 October 1979. A pension book payable from 3 January 1980 at the rate of £32.10 was issued to Menlough Post Office and arrears of pension from May to December 1979 issued by payable order on 22 February 1980.
50.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason only a reduced rate of £2.50 per week old age pension is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The weekly rate of means assessed in the case of the person concerned entitles her to pension at the rate of £2.50 a week.
The social welfare officer appealed against the local pension committee's decision awarding the claimant a pension at the maximum rate. The appeal has been upheld by an appeals officer of my Department.