asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
271.
Entitlement to pay-related benefit is subject to the statutory condition that the sum of weekly unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any income tax refund may not exceed 85 per cent of a claimant's average net weekly earnings between 6 April of the income tax year in which he claims and the date of the commencement of his unemployment benefit claim. The person concerned was paid pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £1.19 from 6 September 1981 to 3 October 1981. However on 5 October 1981 his rate of unemployment benefit was increased to £41.70 and as this amount exceeded 85% of his earnings, namely £41.64, pay-related benefit ceased to be payable to him from that date.
272.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 April 1981 and was paid from 20 April 1981, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit due to 29 January 1982 has been issued.
Payment of pay-related benefit was not authorised at the commencement of his claim as details of his reckonable earnings for 1979-80, the tax year relevant to his claim, were not available in my Department. He was requested to furnish details of his earnings and on receipt of this information payment of pay-related benefit was included in cheque payments from 11 September 1981 onwards.
The arrears of pay-related benefit for the period 30 April 1981, 13th day of incapacity, to 10 September 1981 amounting to £134.85 have been withheld to offset an overpayment of disability benefit amounting to £248.90 paid for the periods 5 June 1981 to 21 August 1981 and 6 September 1981 to 25 September 1981 when duplicate payments were made to him in error. It is proposed to recover the balance of the overpayment of £114.05 by weekly deductions of £2 per week from his current benefit. He has been notified to this effect.
273.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 2 May 1977 and was paid, at the maximum appropriate rate, to 11 July 1981. Payment was disallowed from that date following examination by a medical referee who considered him to be capable of work. He appealed against this decision and was examined on 4 January 1982 by a different medical referee who considered him incapable of work. As a result his claim was reviewed and payment was restored from 13 July 1981. All disability benefit due from 13 July 1981 to 30 January 1982, less supplementary welfare allowance advanced by the health board, has been issued.
274.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 13 October 1979 to 18 February 1981 after which date payment was disallowed following examination by a medical referee who considered him to be capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance of benefit and was examined by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work.
The appeals officer to whom the case was referred upheld the decision that he was not incapable of work during the period 19 February 1981 to 7 July 1981, date of the latest medical certificate before him, and was not entitled to be paid disability benefit.
He continued to furnish medical evidence and was paid benefit from 14 August 1981 to 4 January 1982. Payment has been disallowed from 5 January 1982 pending a further examination by a medical referee which has been arranged for 29 January 1982. When the report of this examination is received the claim will be reviewed.
275.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a widow's pension has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned, whose husband died on 28 August 1981, was awarded a widow's non-contributory pension at the maximum rate appropriate to a widow with no qualified child by decision dated 1 December 1981.
A pension book containing orders from 2 October 1981 was issued on 8 December 1981 to the designated post office for collection by her and she was notified accordingly. Arrears of pension due from 29 August 1981 to 1 October 1981 were paid direct to her by payable order on 22 December 1981.
276.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason maternity benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned has been paid all maternity benefit due in respect of her confinement on 3 April 1981. The claim was originally refused on the ground that she had less than the minimum of 26 paid contributions to her credit since her entry into insurance under the post-marriage RSI number which she quoted on the claim form. Following inqueries it was established that she was in fact qualified for payment by taking into account the contributions paid under her pre-marriage RSI number, which she failed to quote on the form.
277.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned has been in receipt of invalidity pension since 26 November 1981. The present rate of pension, which is payable at the post office designated by him, is £79.10 a week.
As disability benefit and invalidity pension are not payable concurrently the claimant is precluded by regulations from the receipt of disability benefit. In any event the weekly rate of invalidity pension at present payable is higher than the rate of disability benefit which would ordinarily be payable in his case.
His claim for disablement pension in respect of a prescribed disease is at present under consideration and arrangements are being made to have the claimant examined by a specialist on 11 February 1982. On receipt of the report of this examination a decision will be given on his claim.
278.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from 13 October 1981 to 17 November 1981 pending the determination of his claim to unemployment benefit from 13 October 1981.
His unemployment benefit claim was allowed at the weekly rate of £58.80 and all benefit due from the commencement of his claim less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which had to be recouped to the South Eastern Health Board, has been paid.
The person concerned is not entitled to pay-related benefit as he had insufficient earnings during the relevant income tax year April 1979 to April 1980.
279.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the payment of disability benefit has been stopped in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 22 October 1981 and was paid from 25 October, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 22 January 1982 has issued.
There was delay initially in some of the payments in this case due to a misreading of the claimant's address. The cheques which issued to her were returned to my Department and, following inquiry through the local employment exchange, were re-issued to her at the correct address.
It is understood that she has received all the cheques which issued up to 18 December 1981. A list of the cheques which issued since that date has been sent to her and she has been requested to indicate which cheques, if any, have not been received by her to date.
280.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the payment of disability benefit has been stopped in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 19 October 1981 and was paid from 22 October 1981, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit to 28 January 1982 has been issued. The benefit cheques issued on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity in my Department and there was no delay in payment. He is not entitled to payment of pay-related benefit as his average weekly earnings in 1979-80, the tax year relevant to his claim, were less than the weekly amount of flat rate disability benefit payment.
281.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the payment of disability benefit has been stopped in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 10 August 1981 and has been paid all benefit due to 23 January 1982. The payment issued promptly on receipt of the medical evidence of incapacity. A list of all cheques which issued since November 1981 has been sent to the claimant to enable him to indicate which cheque, if any, was not received by him. On receipt of his reply any further action necessary will be taken.
282.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has been sick since October 1981 and who has received only three days payment.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 27 October 1981 and all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 30 October 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 2 January 1982, after which date he resumed work, has issued.
283.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned originally claimed disability benefit from 5 December 1980. Payment was made weekly in advance of the receipt of medical evidence of incapacity up to 11 July 1981 when a final certificate was received certifying that he had been fit to resume work on 27 May 1981.
He subsequently submitted medical certificates in respect of the period 5 June 1981 to 10 July 1981 and received payment of benefit on these certificates. As he had already been paid benefit from 27 May 1981 to 11 July 1981, after the issue of the final certificate, the amount of the payment for this period was due for refund to my Department.
On 28 October 1981 he submitted 15 medical certificates together certifying that he had remained incapable of work from 11 July 1981. Payment was also allowed for this period but the amount overpaid in respect of the earlier period was deducted from the amount of benefit due on those certificates. Payment of benefit has continued up to 9 January 1982, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
284.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who has not been paid benefit since 2 November 1981.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit in respect of an accident at work on 4 March 1981, and he was paid injury benefit for the full statutory period of 26 weeks from the date of the accident.
On the expiration of this period on 1 October 1981, his claim was treated as one for disability benefit and payment was made provisionally up to the end of October 1981 when payment ceased because the employer by whom he had been employed had failed to pay the contributions due in respect of employment in the 1979-80 contribution year. However it has been established that he was insurably employed for 52 weeks in that period and special credits have been allowed which qualify him for payment of benefit. All disability benefit due has been paid up to 20 January 1982 the date of the latest medical certificate received.
285.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit which is owed since 13 November 1981 to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as all certificates have been submitted.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 28 October 1981 and all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 31 October 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 23 January 1982, date of the latest medical evidence received, has been issued. Payment of benefit was withheld initially pending inquiries regarding the nature of the incapacity. On completion of these inquiries payment was allowed.
286.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the up-to-date position in relation to the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has been signing at the employment exchange in Mallow since 10 November 1981 and who has also been waiting for pay-related benefit.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 10 November 1981 and as he satisfied the statutory contribution conditions his claim was authorised at the weekly rate of £55.10 and all unemployment benefit due to him was paid as weekly payments became due.
His entitlement to pay-related benefit is subject to the condition that the sum of weekly unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and income tax refund may not exceed 85 per cent of net average weekly earnings between 6 April 1981 and the date on which he commenced to claim unemployment benefit. As the weekly rate of unemployment benefit payable to him exceeds 85 per cent of his earnings, namely £44.73, pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
287.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to pay unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who applied some time ago.
The claim to unemployment assistance of the person concerned was disallowed from 25 November 1981 by a deciding officer who assessed him with means in excess of the statutory limit of £1,105 per annum derived from land notionally assessed and the value of capital. If the person concerned is dissatisfied with the decision in his case it is open to him to appeal and his claim will be referred to an appeals officer for determination.
288.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to have a non-contributory old age pension book issued to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
A pension order book at the rate of £21.55 and arrears due have been issued to the person concerned.
289.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to process a claim for a non-contributory old age pension for a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The claim of the person concerned for a non-contributory old age pension has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision with a recommendation for payment of pension at a reduced rate. A pension order book and arrears due have been issued provisionally pending the pension committee's decision. If the claimant is dissatisfied with the committee's decision he will have the right of appeal against it.
290.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit from 15 August 1980 and was paid regularly each week up to 9 January 1982. At that stage his claim was being examined with a view to transfer to invalidity pension. Payment of benefit, however, was inadvertently stopped but the matter has since been corrected and payment of all benefit due to 30 January 1982 was issued on 21 January 1982. On receipt of the completed form which has issued to him the arrangements for his transfer to invalidity pension will be finalised.
291.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit on 17 December 1981 and has been paid from 21 December 1981, fourth day of incapacity.
The delay in payment of benefit was due to the fact that there was delay in submitting the medical evidence of incapacity to my Department and there was a further delay in dealing with the case arising out of a previous claim which had been in payment until 5 December. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 23 January 1982 has now been issued, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced by the health board.
292.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive the prescribed relative's allowance.
The circumstances of the claimant are being investigated at present by a social welfare officer and the report of the officer is expected shortly. The claim will then be referred to an appeals officer and his decision will be implemented without delay.
293.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange to pay unemployment assistance/benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as the application is being processed for a long time.
The person concerned did not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions for unemployment benefit at the commencement of his claim on 28 September 1981.
A claim for unemployment assistance was accepted and after completion of investigations his means were assessed as nil. Payment of unemployment assistance was allowed at the weekly rate of £65.65 up to 2 January 1982. A new benefit year commenced on 4 January 1982 and his claim for unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £76.40 was allowed on the basis of his contribution record from April 1980 to April 1981 from 4 January 1982.
The person concerned is a postal applicant and an order paying all arrears of unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit, less advances of supplementary welfare allowance which were paid to him, issued last week for encashment at his local post office. Weekly payments of £76.40 will continue to be paid to him as they fall due.
294.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will restore immediately the free telephone rental allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who resides alone.
As the person concerned is no longer in receipt of a qualifying pension or allowance she does not qualify for free telephone rental allowance from my Department. She is, however, the widow of a veteran of the War of Independence and is in receipt of a pension from the Department of Defence. She may qualify for free telephone rental allowance under the scheme administered by that Department which has been asked to investigate her entitlement.
295.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 November 1980 and was paid from 24 November, fourth day of incapacity, to 21 November 1981. His entitlement to payment ceased after that date as he had not the necessary 156 contributions to entitle him to payment for more than 52 weeks. According to the records of my Department he had only 124 contributions paid from the date of his entry into insurance to the date of commencement of his illness.
296.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of arrears of the old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
A payable order for the arrears in question has issued to the person concerned.
297.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a disability benefit pension has been reduced by 50 pence per week in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was awarded an invalidity pension at the rate payable to a single person without dependants from 28 May 1981. The rate of pension was increased by 3 per cent from 1 October 1981 and, as a person who has not yet attained age 66 years, he is at present receiving payment at the maximum appropriate rate.
298.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit and arrears thereof will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 August 1981 and was paid at the maximum appropriate rate from 24 August, fourth day of incapacity. Payment issued promptly on receipt of medical evidence and all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 13 January 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, has issued.
There are no arrears of benefit due to the claimant. However, he has been informed that, if he considers that he was not paid for any period and notifies my Department, the matter will be investigated.
299.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the free electricity allowance will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
An application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned which was forwarded by the district ESB office in June 1981 was not received in my Department. A second application was, however, received in December 1981. The ESB have been instructed to apply the allowance to her electricity account from the August-September 1981 billing period onwards which is the appropriate commencement period under the scheme.
300.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Inquiries to establish the contribution record of the person concerned were recently completed and his claim to unemployment benefit has been authorised at the weekly rate of £77.30.
The person concerned is a postal applicant and an order issued to him last week for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of unemployment benefit due.
301.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be taken on the application for an invalidity pension of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
An invalidity pension, payable from 18 February 1982, has been awarded to the person concerned. The pension book has been forwarded to the designated post office of payment for collection by her.
302.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has been reduced in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned exhausted 156 days of unemployment benefit on 6 December 1981 and, as she did not satisfy the statutory contribution condition of having 280 contributions paid during the last seven years her rate of unemployment benefit fell to be reduced from £25.30 to the special rate of £21.00 weekly. While in receipt of unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £25.30 she was not entitled to pay-related benefit as this sum exceeded the statutory 85 per cent limit of her average weekly earnings, namely, £24.10.
Following the reduction of her unemployment benefit to £21.00 weekly she became entitled to pay-related benefit at the rate of £3.10 thereby providing her with a total weekly payment of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit at £24.10. Weekly payments of £24.10 continue to be made to her as they become due.
303.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying a contributory old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned claimed old age contributory pension from my Department in July 1981. He was unable to quote his insurance number and it was not possible to trace it from the details which he supplied. In November 1981 he supplied an insurance number which, according to my Department's records, was issued to a person of the same name who resides in County Kerry. This man has however been in receipt of an old age contributory pension since 1974. The local social welfare officer has been asked to investigate and to furnish a report as soon as possible.
304.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned has been in receipt of invalidity pension since 17 April 1980. The present rate of pension, which is payable at the post office designated by him, is £85.05 a week.
As disability benefit and invalidity pension are not payable concurrently the claimant is precluded by regulations from the receipt of disability benefit. In any event the rate of invalidity pension at present payable is higher than the rate of disability benefit which would ordinarily be payable in his case.
The claimant is also in receipt of two disablement pensions in respect of accidents at work in 1972 and 1976 and the payment of these pensions due at the end of December 1981 was withheld pending review of the amounts payable. Payment has since been made and all pension due to 29 January 1982 has been paid.
305.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 July 1981 but was not entitled to payment as, according to the records of my Department, he had less than the minimum of 26 contributions to his credit in the 1979-80 contribution year which governed his claim. Following inquiries it was established that he had been employed in the United Kingdom during that period. On receipt of his British insurance record payment of all disability benefit due from 8 July 1981, fourth day of incapacity, to 8 August 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, was issued on 22 January 1982.
306.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath.
At the date of his claim my Department had no details of the employment record of the person concerned and inquiries were undertaken to establish his contribution record. The investigations were recently completed following which payment of unemployment benefit was authorised at the weekly rate of £25.30. An order for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of unemployment benefit due issued to him last week.
307.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if her Department has reviewed the claim for an old age pension for persons (details supplied) in County Westmeath.
A review of the means of the couple concerned was carried out in October 1981 in the course of investigation of the wife's claim to a non-contributory old age pension. She was subsequently awarded a pension of £10.75 a week by decision of the local pension committee dated 13 November 1981. Her means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding, entitle her to a pension at this rate. No appeal was lodged against the committee's decision.
Due to an increase in the means of the husband since his pension was awarded in 1977 a question for reduction of his pension to the appropriate rate of £10.75, with effect from 20 November 1981, has been referred to the local pension committee for decision. If he is dissatisfied with the committee's decision he may appeal against it within 21 days from the date it is conveyed to him.
308.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason her Department have not paid social welfare benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who was formerly employed as a home help by the Midland Health Board in Tullamore, County Offaly.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 13 March 1981. As her employment with the Midland Health Board was not insurable for disability benefit purposes she is not entitled to payment of benefit on her claim.
309.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit in respect of an accident at work on 19 May 1981. He was paid this benefit for the maximum statutory period of 26 weeks. On completion of this period on 16 November 1981 his claim became proper to disability benefit.
Entitlement to payment of disability benefit was based on his insurance record in the 1979-80 contribution year. Following inquiries it was established that he had sufficient contributions to his credit in that year and that he was entitled to disability benefit. Because of an administrative error there was delay in putting the claim into payment but all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 17 November 1981 to 23 January 1982 has now been made.
310.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the early payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
311.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 310 and 311 together.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 11 September 1981 and was paid from 15 September, fourth day of incapacity, to 1 October. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 28 December 1981, date of latest medical certificate received, has issued. The delay in payment was due to the necessity to have inquiries made as to the nature and duration of the claimant's employment. On completion of these inquiries payment was allowed.
312.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if she will arrange for the immediate payment of pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Inquiries to establish the reckonable earnings of the person concerned during the income tax year April 1979 to April 1980 were recently finalised. Payment of pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £9.20 was authorised. An order for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of pay-related benefit due issued to the person concerned last week.
313.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 4 November 1981 but he was not qualified for payment as he had less than the minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1979-80, the contribution year governing his claim.
From January 1982 his claim is governed by his insurance record in the 1980-81 contribution year. As he had 52 contributions in that year he is qualified for disability benefit at the maximum appropriate rate from 4 January 1981. All disability benefit due has been paid to 23 January. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit.