asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have arrears of children's allowance backdated to the date of birth of the youngest child in a case (details supplied) in County Dublin.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
394.
A claim for children's allowance was received from the person concerned on 26 November 1980 and payment was made with effect from December 1980. Despite an exhaustive search no record could be traced of a claim which she stated had been made at an earlier date. The circumstances were investigated by a social welfare officer and the outcome has been a decision to allow payment from July 1980. A payable order for £35 which is the amount of allowances outstanding for the period from July 1980 to November 1980 has issued to the claimant.
395.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person in the Dun Laoghaire area of County Dublin has not received disability benefit despite the submission of six certificates over a period of six weeks.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 22 January 1981 and payment has been made to 7 March 1981 the date of the last medical certificate received. The delay in payment was mainly due to the change-over from insurance numbers to RSI numbers for the purpose of payment of benefit.
396.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of optical benefit to a person (details supplied) in Cork who is in urgent need of benefit; and when she can expect to receive payment.
The person concerned made application for optical benefit on 3 February 1981 and the letter of authorisation to attend the opthalmic optician issued to her on 5 March 1981. There was no undue delay in the issue of the authorisation in this case.
397.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant free travel to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned is under the old age pension age of 66 years and is not in receipt of invalidity pension from my Department or a disabled persons maintenance allowance from a health board, neither is he a registered blind person. I regret therefore that he is not entitled to free travel under my Department's free travel scheme. He may however receive assistance towards necessary travel costs under the supplementary welfare allowances scheme operated by the Eastern Health Board. Information in this regard may be obtained from the community welfare officer at the applicant's nearest health centre. This scheme is means tested.
398.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Extensive inquiries were necnessary in this case to establish whether the insurance contributions paid by the person concerned were paid at the correct rate and to establish whether she was available for employment in view of her recent employment history.
These inquiries have now been completed and a deciding officer is satisfied that she is entitled to unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £18.95. Arrangements have been made to pay all unemployment benefit due this week.
399.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit and (b) unemployment assistance in the Balbriggan exchange area of County Dublin.
The number of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit and assistance in the Balbriggan Branch Employment Office area at the weekended 27 February 1981 was as follows:—
Unemployment Benefit, 421.
Unemployment Assistance, 93.
400.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons for the continuing delay in the payment of pay-related benefit to an applicant (details supplied) in Balbriggan, County Dublin.
There was no delay in the payment of pay-related benefit to the person concerned.
He claimed an increase for his dependants and certain investigations had to be completed before his entitlement could be established.
The increase has now been allowed and payment of arrears will be made as expeditiously as possible.
401.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cause of the long delay in the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be decided until the completion of inquiries about his contribution record.
It has now been established that the claimant is entitled to credited contributions during the period governing his claim and that he is entitled to the maximum rate of unemployment benefit of £55.40 weekly.
All unemployment benefit due to him is being paid this week.
402.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that a person (details supplied) ceased to receive disability benefit last July, that he appealed against the decision, that the appeal was lost and that a new application was made; and if he is further aware that despite repeated representations to his Department no decision has yet been made in the case; how soon the case will be determined and the arrears, if any, that will be paid.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from October 1977 to 4 August 1980, when payment ceased following an examination by a medical referee who considered her capable of work.
There is no record of an appeal in this case and the latest medical certificate received from her is dated 18 June 1980.
If she contends that she has remained incapable of work for any period since 18 June 1980 she should submit covering medical evidence to that effect. Arrangements will then be made for a further examination by a medical referee and her claim will be reviewed on receipt of the referee's report.
403.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an applicant (details supplied) in County Dublin will receive unemployment benefit arrears or whether the arrears due to him will be credited against the money he owes the Department.
The amount outstanding in this case will be determined immediately details of a claim have been received from the Eastern Health Board in respect of supplementary welfare allowance advanced by them to the person concerned. It is hoped to finalise the case in the near future.
He is at present in receipt of £55.73 per week unemployment benefit.
404.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an applicant (details supplied) in Dublin will be awarded unemployment benefit or assistance; if the award will be backdated; if so, to what date; if not, why; and the reasons for the delay in this case.
A deciding officer disallowed the claim to unemployment assistance of the person concerned from 4 December 1980 on the grounds that she was not available for and genuinely seeking employment.
The person concerned continued to claim unemployment assistance and, due to a change in her circumstances, a deciding officer held that she became available for work and entitled to assistance from 25 February 1981. She is being paid at the weekly rate of £17.00 since that date.
She has appealed against the disallowances in respect of the period from 4 December to 24 February 1981 and her appeal will be heard shortly.
405.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the deed of transfer has been signed for quite some time.
An appeals officer has decided that the person concerned is entitled to pension at the rate of £15.65 weekly from 18 May 1980. This rate includes an allowance in respect of his wife and one qualified child.
A pension book issued on 9 March and arrears due are in the course of issue.
406.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment assistance will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Unemployment assistance at the rate of £3.45 weekly (maximum rate £22.95 less means of £19.50 assessed on a notional basis) is presently being paid to the person concerned.
He has applied for a factual assessment of his means and investigations of his case by a social welfare officer are presently in train.
When the inquiries are completed his means will be assessed on a factual basis by a deciding officer and, if found to be advantageous to him, he will be paid unemployment assistance accordingly.