asked the Minister for Social Welfare if the wives of insurable workers will be covered for dental and optical services.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
607.
The Programme for Government 1981 - 1986 contains a commitment that the Government will extend dental and optical benefits to the wives of insured workers.
608.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an applicant (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to dental benefit.
The person concerned is qualified for dental benefit from any dentist on my Department's dental panel. The dentist by whom she is being treated is not at present on the dental panel and accordingly payments cannot be made by my Department in respect of such treatment.
609.
(Wexford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the remaining two weeks pension due to the representatives of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will be paid.
The pension book belonging to the person concerned, a widow who died on 13 June 1980, was returned to my Department with orders cashed to 5 June 1980. Two weeks arrears of pension due were held pending receipt of a claim for payment but none was made. Following notice of the question by the Deputy, inquiries were made regarding the next-of-kin and a payable order for the arrears from 6 to 13 June 1980 has now been issued to the representative of the deceased.
610.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether an applicant (details supplied) in County Wicklow has received full disability benefit in respect of six certificates forwarded for the period 12 August to 18 September 1981; and when he can expect to receive the alleged balance due to him.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit at the maximum appropriate rate from 26 August 1981 to 19 September 1981. This payment was made on the basis of an intermediate certificate dated 22 August 1981 and a final certificate certifying him fit to resume work on 21 September 1981. It has since been ascertained from his employers that he was on annual leave for two weeks prior to 18 August 1981 and on sick leave from that date. His claim has accordingly been admitted from 18 August 1981 and the balance of benefit due up to 19 September 1981 has been paid.
611.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit at the full rate was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in September 1980.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 September 1980 and was paid at the personal rate from 4 September, fourth day of incapacity, to 6 September 1980, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. Although the claim form on which to claim an increase of benefit in respect of his wife and children was sent to him on two occasions, there is no record in my Department of the receipt of the completed form. However the number of dependants in respect of whom an increase is payable has been ascertained by reference to an earlier claim and an adjusting payment has issued to him. He was not entitled to pay-related benefit.
612.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment and pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as they are owed for the past few weeks.
The person concerned notified the branch employment office, Thomastown, of his intention to claim unemployment benefit on 20 November 1981 but subsequently withdrew his application on 23 November 1981 in favour of a retirement pension which he had claimed prior to the termination of his employment on 30 October 1981. He has been awarded a retirement pension at the maximum rate appropriate to a married man, £52.75, payable from 5 November 1981 and a pension order book was issued to his designated post office on 24 November 1981.
613.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim.
Unemployment benefit has been authorised in the case of the person concerned at the weekly rates of £20.45 from 6 December 1980, £24.55 from 6 April 1981, £20.40 from 10 June 1981 and £21.00 from 5 October 1981. Arrears due, amounting to £631.99, after taking account of the unemployment assistance paid to him in the meantime, were issued to him for encashment at his local post office last week.
614.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a children's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
A supplementary children's allowance book at the rate of £9.00 per month payable from July 1981 to November 1981 was issued to the husband of the person concerned, who is the payee, in July 1981 in respect of his daughter.
However, following investigations by a local officer of the Department it now appears that the book was delivered to another person of the same name living in the same townland.
A payable order for £45.00 in respect of allowance due from July 1981 to November 1981, the date on which the child attained the age of 18 years, will issue without delay to rectify the matter.
615.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
The person concerned originally claimed disability benefit from 23 January 1981 and submitted medical evidence of incapacity at irregular intervals up to 16 May 1981, after which date she was certified fit to resume work. She was not entitled to payment however, as, according to the records of my Department, she had not the required minimum of 26 paid contributions to her credit since her entry into insurance. Following inquiries it was established that she had in fact sufficient paid contributions to qualify her for payment. It was also ascertained that her illness had commenced on 9 December 1980. Payment of all disability benefit due from 9 December 1980 to 16 May 1981 has been made. Her entitlement to pay-related benefit is being investigated and on completion of the inquiries any such benefit due will be paid.
616.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 5 May 1980 and was paid to 7 November 1981. Payment ceased to issue after that date as there was no record of the receipt of medical evidence of incapacity after 20 July 1981. The claimant had claimed benefit under his old insurance number and it was only on receipt of the Deputy's question that the Department became aware of his RSI number. Payment has now been resumed, and all benefit has been issued up to and including 28 November 1981. The claimant is being advised to quote both his RSI number and his social insurance number on all future medical certificates submitted in connection with his claim.
617.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned is not entitled to pay-related benefit because under statutory provisions the sum of weekly unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed 85 per cent of a claimant's average net weekly earnings.
As the person concerned is receiving unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £60.65 and as this amount exceeds 85 per cent of his average net weekly earnings, namely £53.63, pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
618.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was paid all arrears of pay-related benefit due on his claim by cheque which issued on 23 November 1981.
619.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 21 April 1981 and has been paid at the maximum appropriate rate from 24 April, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit due to 17 November 1981, date of latest medical evidence received, has issued.
He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as the weekly rate of disability benefit payable exceeds the amount of his reckonable weekly earnings in 1979-80, the relevant tax year on which his entitlement to pay-related benefit is based.
620.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to have a claim for disability benefit reinvestigated for a person (details supplied) in County Cork on compassionate grounds and payment made from the date on which he became ill.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 30 July 1979 but notification of illness was not received in my Department until 28 October 1980.
The prescribed time within which notice of incapacity should be given is seven days from the day on which the person became incapable of work. Where there was good cause for delay in giving notice the period may be extended to six months but no disability benefit may be paid in respect of any period more than six months before the date of the actual giving of notice.
Having investigated the position in this case it was decided there was good cause for the delay in the submission of the claim. Payment was, therefore, allowed from 28 April 1980, i.e. six months prior to the date of notification of illness. As indicated this is the earliest date from which payment can be made.