asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in granting a non-contributory old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
593.
The person concerned made a repeat claim for a non-contributory old age pension in August 1981. The local pension committee disallowed the claim on 28 September and an appeal against that decision was lodged on the claimant's behalf by her solicitors. The appeals officer, to whom the case was referred, has arranged for an oral hearing of the appeal on 9 December 1981. Notification of the date, time and venue of the hearing has been sent to the parties concerned.
594.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying a children's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
A children's allowance was paid to the child's grandmother from April 1980 to January 1981, when the allowance book in respect of the child concerned was returned to the Department with a request that the allowance be transferred to the child's mother. I regret that the papers were inadvertently filed away and no action was taken to reissue the book.
A children's allowance book with orders cashable from October 1981 to June 1982 has now been issued and a payable order for £40.50 in respect of the arrears due for the period February 1981 to September 1981 will issue without delay.
595.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 17 April 1981 to 21 July 1981. Payment of benefit was disallowed after that date following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
The claimant has appealed against the disallowance of benefit and the appeals officer proposes to hold an oral hearing of the case on 10 December 1981 at the Employment Exchange, Waterford. The decision of the appeals officer will be conveyed to him as soon as possible after that date.
596.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned was underpaid disability benefit in respect of the period from 31 October to 21 November 1981 due to a misreading of the amount to which he was entitled. The matter has since been rectified and the claimant has been paid all benefit due to him to 5 December 1981.
597.
asked the the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in awarding a non-contributory old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned received in August 1981 was referred to the local pension committee for decision on 30 October following completion of the social welfare officer's inquiries. Payment of pension has not however been recommended as the claimant's means, consisting of half the weekly value of a farm and capital, exceed the statutory limit of £28.00. If the pension committee's decision is unfavourable, the claimant will have the right of appeal against it. I am satisfied that there was no undue delay in the investigation of the claim.
598.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
I wish to refer the Deputy to my reply on 29 October 1981 regarding the person concerned in which I intimated that all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to him to 28 October 1981 had been paid. Subsequently cheques in payment of benefit issued to him on 30 October, 10 November, 19 November, 20 November and 26 November paying up to and including 25 November 1981. In fact, he has been overpaid £35.94, as the cheque for that amount which issued to him on 10 November was in respect of pay-related benefit for the period from 29 October to 4 November 1981, which had already been included in the payment which issued on 30 October 1981. The amount overpaid will be deducted from future payments due.
599.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
It was necessary to establish that the person concerned fulfilled the statutory conditions of being unemployed on the days in respect of which he claimed unemployment assistance.
The inquiries in question have now been finalised and all unemployment assistance due to him will be paid when he next calls to his local office at Dungarvan.
600.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 September 1981 and was paid from 26 September, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate, to 7 October 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. Payment was originally made at the personal rate only. Due to an administrative error there was a delay in paying the increase of benefit in respect of his wife and children.
601.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
At the date of claim to unemployment benefit by the person concerned my Department had no record of his employment during the relevant contribution period April 1979 to April 1980. He was written to and asked to furnish evidence of employment during the period in question and in reply he supplied a form P.60. However certain aspects of the details of his employment on the form required clarification and the person concerned was written to again but has not replied to date. In the meantime, based on his insurance record in the year 1978-79, payment of unemployment benefit has been recently authorised at the reduced rate of £18.00, increased to £18.65 from 5 October 1981, together with pay-related benefit at £4.00 weekly. As the claimant is a postal applicant, a paying order in respect of all arrears due was sent to him for encashment at his local post office on 26 November 1981.
602.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying a non-contributory old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The claim to old age pension of the person concerned was disallowed by the local pension committee in May last. The claimant subsequently appealed against this decision on the grounds that he had transferred his holding to his son. To date, however, a copy of the deed of transfer had not been furnished in support of the appeal. When this evidence is provided the case will be referred to an appeals officer for decision.
603.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying an unmarried mother's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
A social assistance allowance had been in payment to the person concerned since early in 1978. When she reapplied for the allowance at the end of September last her case was re-investigated and it came to light that she had been working from 1 May to 15 September 1981 but had not cashed any orders during that time. Her allowance for this period was terminated as her means exceeded the statutory limit for receipt of the allowance but it was restored to her with effect from 17 September 1981. An allowance book with orders payable from 26 November 1981 issued to the designated post office on 24 November and she was notified accordingly. Arrears due from 17 September have been paid, after adjustment for the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the South Eastern Health Board since that date.