asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons for the long delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
262.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 29 December 1980 and has been paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 1 January 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 7 February 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. The delay in payment was due to his failure to quote his RSI number on the medical certificates forwarded to my Department.
264.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an applicant (details supplied) in County Mayo is currently in receipt of the proper rate of unemployment assistance.
The person concerned who is a smallholder is presently in receipt of unemployment assistance at £51.85 a week which is the maximum rate applicable to a married smallholder with a land valuation under £10 who has eight qualified children — £52.85 — less the value — £1 — of his means assessed on a notional basis.
The person concerned applied for a factual assessment of his means. The means so derived, however, would have reduced his weekly entitlement to £50.15. As this assessment was not advantageous to him, payment of unemployment assistance was continued on the basis of his notional assessment.
It is of course open to the person concerned to appeal against the factual assessment of his means and to have his case referred to an appeals officer for determination. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
265.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 10 June 1968 to 9 January 1981. Payment was refused after that date following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the decision to disallow payment and, in this connection, arrangements have been made to have her examined by a different medical referee on 12 March 1981. When the result of the examination is available her claim will be reviewed.
266.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 December 1980 and has been paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 19 December 1980, fourth day of incapacity to 16 February 1981, date of the latest medical evidence received.
Payment of benefit could not be authorised in this case as, according to the records of my Department, he had not the required statutory minimum of 26 contributions, paid or credited, in 1979-80, the contribution year governing his claim. As he had indicated that he was employed in the United Kingdom prior to May 1980, his British insurance record was requested. This record, which has only recently been received in my Department, shows that he had sufficient contributions in that year to qualify him for payment of benefit.
267.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 14 October 1980 and was paid from 17 October, fourth day of incapacity. He was paid regularly on receipt of medical evidence up to 2 February 1981, the date of the latest certificate received.
Some time after that date he was discharged from the institution in which he was being treated for his condition. As it has been ascertained from his last employer that he has not resumed employment it has been decided to pay him benefit up to 28 February. He has been advised, however, to obtain covering medical evidence from 2 February 1981.
268.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 January 1981 and has been paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 23 January 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 10 February 1981, date of the latest medical certificate received. The delay in payment is due to the changeover from insurance numbers to RSI numbers for the purpose of payment of benefit.
269.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay related and redundancy benefits have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The reason pay-related benefit was not paid to the person concerned is that inquiries were necessary to ascertain her recent earnings before payment could be authorised. These inquiries have now been completed and payment of pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £16.62 has been authorised. Arrangements have been made to have the benefit paid this week.
The matter of redundancy payments is appropriate to the Department of Labour.
270.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a non-contributory old age pension has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
A pension order book at the maximum rate of £21 a week is in course of issue to the person concerned. She claimed pension only quite recently.
271.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The reason that unemployment benefit was not paid to the person concerned is that at the date of her claim she did not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions according to the records available to the Department. Pending completion of inquiries about her employment she was paid unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £9.65 (maximum rate of £16.45 less means £6.80).
As the investigations have now been completed and as she fulfils the necessary contribution conditions, arrangements have been made to pay all unemployment benefit due, less the amount advanced by way of unemployment assistance, to her at an early date.
272.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The claim of the person concerned to unemployment benefit has been allowed and according to my Department's records all unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit due have been paid.
273.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
A claim for children's allowance in respect of a child born in August 1980 was received from the person concerned in December 1980 and payment was made with effect from January 1981.
An earlier claim stated to have been made by claimant could not be traced but following a visit to her by a social welfare officer it has now been decided to allow payment to her from September 1980.
A payable order for the arrears due, £28.00, is in the course of issue.
274.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 22 July 1980 and was paid from 25 July 1980, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. As pay-related benefit is payable from the thirteenth day of incapacity he was only entitled to such payment for one day i.e. 5 August. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due has been paid to him. He was certified fit to resume work on 6 August 1980.
275.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason maternity benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned who had been in receipt of disability benefit continuously since 1975 claimed maternity allowance in respect of a confinement certified as due in January 1980. She was paid maternity allowance from 10 December 1979 to 26 January 1980. Further payment was held pending receipt of certificate of confinement or the child's birth certificate. When the certificate was received the date of birth shown thereon was in May 1980. In view of the discrepancy in dates the matter was investigated and it was established that the child had in fact been born on 6 May 1980. Payment of disability benefit was resumed from 28 January 1980 and an adjusting payment was made to her in respect of the balance of the maternity allowance due. She has thus received all disability benefit and maternity allowance to which she is entitled.
Payment of maternity grant of £8 was held pending confirmation of her present address. A cheque for this amount issued recently.
276.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 December 1980 to 8 January 1981 after which date she resumed work. As she has no contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year 1978-79 no benefit is payable on her claim to 3 January 1981. Her claim in respect of 5 January 1981 to 8 January 1981 is governed by her insurance record in the 1979-80 contribution year. In that year she had less than 26 contributions and accordingly she does not satisfy the contribution conditions to qualify for payment from 5 January 1981.
Inquiries are being made to establish if she was employed in the 1978-79 contribution year and her claim will be reviewed when these inquiries are completed.
277.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in awarding deserted wife's benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed payment as a deserted wife from my Department on 4 December 1980. As neither her husband nor herself had any record of social insurance contributions prior to the date of desertion, she cannot qualify for deserted wife's benefit. Her claim for deserted wife's allowance was refused as her means from employment exceeded the statutory limit for entitlement to the allowance.
She has been notified of the decision on her claim and of her right to appeal if she is dissatisfied.
278.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 February 1981 and all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from that date to 20 February 1981, date of the latest medical certificate received, has been issued.
The delay in payment which is regretted was due mainly to the change-over from the system of insurance numbers to RSI numbers for the purpose of payment of benefit.
279.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford; and when payment will be made.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 2 December 1980 and was paid from 5 December, fourth day of incapacity. All benefit due to 17 February 1981, date of latest medical certificate received, has issued. The delay in payment was due mainly to the change-over from the system of insurance numbers to RSI numbers for the purpose of payment of benefit. He has no entitlement to pay-related benefit.