asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of arrears of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers - Social Welfare Payments.
576.
The person concerned had been paid disability benefit by my Department from February 1967 to April 1981, when it was ascertained that he had been last insurably employed in the United Kingdom prior to the commencement of his illness. Accordingly, his claim was transferred, from 4 April 1981, to the United Kingdom Department of Health and Social Security, as, under EEC regulations, the country of last employment is responsible for payment of sickness benefit.
Following inquiries the British Ministry forwarded to my Department the amount of sickness benefit due under their legislation to the claimant since 1 April 1973, the date from which the EEC regulations came into effect. After deduction of the amount of disability benefit paid, the balance was issued to the claimant by registered post on 4 August 1981.
The cheques which issued to him have been cashed and returned by the bank and the signatures thereon appear to be similar to that on the documents submitted by him in support of his claim. Arrangements are however being made for an inspector to call on the claimant at an early date so that he may inspect the cashed cheques.
592.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned did not fulfil the statutory contribution conditions for unemployment benefit during the period he was unemployed from 27 July 1981 to 6 October 1981. However, his claim to unemployment assistance was allowed and all arrears due were issued to him on 29 October 1981 by way of an order for encashment at his local post office.
The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him was £17.70, increased to £18.30 from 5 October 1981. Means in his case were £2.05 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging on his father's holding.