asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if payment will now be made.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
265.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 23 January 1982. His title to benefit depends on his insurance record in the contribution year 1980-81. As he has less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in that year, he is not entitled to benefit.
266.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry has not been allowed by the manager of Killarney employment exchange to sign for unemployment assistance.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 28 May 1980 but his claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on the ground that he was not available for work. He was informed of the decision on 30 July 1980. He appealed against the disallowance on 15 December 1980 but he did not reply to the Department's inquiries as to why he did not appeal against the decision within the prescribed 21 days. He was also advised at that time it was open to him to renew his claim if he was available for and genuinely seeking work but he did not do so. He was not prohibited from signing for assistance at his local office and has not in fact been in touch with the office since the date of his appeal application in December 1980.
If the person concerned is at present unemployed and available for work it is open to him to lodge a claim for unemployment assistance at his local office.
267.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the recent reduction in unemployment assistance payments being made to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was incorrectly paid a higher rate of unemployment assistance than the rate to which he was entitled based on the notional value of his holding. When the error was discovered his rate was adjusted to £50.30 weekly, being the weekly amount payable to a married man with five qualified children whose means are notionally assessed at 50p.
268.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The delay in the payment of pay-related benefit in the case of the person concerned was caused by the delay on his part in furnishing details of his earnings in the period from April 1981 up to the date of his claim which are necessary for the purpose of calculating pay-related benefit. On receipt of the necessary information his entitlement to pay-related benefit at the weekly rate of £15.58 was determined and all arrears due to him were issued on 11 March 1982.
269.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
There is no trace in my Department of a claim to disability benefit from the person concerned in May 1981. Following inquiries it was ascertained from his employers that he was absent from work due to illness from 18 May to 30 May 1981. Payment of all benefit due from 21 May, fourth day of incapacity, to 30 May 1981 has been made.
270.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of pay-related and unemployment benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of £21.75 a week, which is composed of £21.00 flat-rate unemployment benefit and £0.75 pay-related benefit. The amount of pay-related benefit payable in this case is at a reduced rate because the combined total of flat-rate benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed 85 per cent of the person's average net weekly earnings prior to unemployment. The appropriate 85 per cent limit in the case of the person concerned is £21.75 a week.
271.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the maximum rate of unemployment assistance to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following a reinvestigation, a deciding officer of my Department has assessed the person concerned with nil means with effect from 21 November 1981. Accordingly he is entitled to unemployment assistance at the maximum weekly rate of £47.05. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week.
272.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway from 25 March 1981.
According to the records of my Department the person concerned has been in receipt of unemployment assistance continuously from 27 May 1980 to date. In order to qualify for such payment he signs a document each week to the effect that he is available for and capable of work. Although he submitted medical certificates of incapacity at intervals during 1981, he was not entitled to payment of disability benefit in view of the fact that he is in receipt of unemployment assistance. It is proposed, however, that an officer of my Department will call to him at an early date with a view to having his position clarified.
273.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why the old age pension payable to a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been reduced from £21.55 per week to £17.95 per week.
Due to an increase in the British retirement pension of the person concerned, a question for reduction of his old age pension with effect from 5 February 1982 was referred to the local pension committee for decision on 15 February 1982. Pension at the rate of £17.95 is in payment pending the decision of the pension committee.
274.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in relation to old age pension payments to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The means of the person concerned were re-assessed following an increase in the pension which he has been receiving from America. As the revised means exceeded the limit for entitlement to pension, a question for revocation of pension with effect from 22 January 1982 was referred to the local pension committee for decision of 11 February 1982. Payment of the pension has been suspended pending the pension committee's decision.
275.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if payment will now be made.
On the basis of the Department's records the person concerned does not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. He subsequently claimed to have had other employment during the relevant contribution year, April 1980 to April 1981, and he has been requested to furnish a statement to that effect from his employer. When he does so his entitlement to unemployment benefit will be decided without delay. In the meantime he has been advised of his right to apply for unemployment assistance.
276.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for disability benefit at the maximum rate to be paid immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 13 February 1982 and was paid from 17 February 1982, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit due to 26 March 1982, date of the latest medical evidence received, has been issued.
The claimant was initially paid at the rate appropriate to a single man pending the receipt of a claim from giving details of his dependants. On receipt of the necessary details his rate of benefit was adjusted to the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with three qualified children and all arrears due were issued.
277.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 18 January 1982 and payment of all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 27 March 1982 has issued. Further payments will issue on the receipt of medical evidence.
278.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason no disability or unemployment benefits have been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 24 September 1981 and payment was made from 28 September, fourth day of incapacity, to 14 October 1981, after which date she was certified as fit to resume work. Her employers who were contacted by my Department recently intimated that she was also absent from work due to illness on 19, 20, 21 October 1981, 9 December 1981, 19 January 1982 and 23 February 1982. Although no claim for benefit was received in respect of those dates payment has been allowed for the period from 19 October to 21 October 1981 and an adjustment cheque issued to her on 29 March 1982. Benefit is not payable in respect of the other dates on which the employers state that she was absent from work.
The claimant was paid unemployment benefit in respect of the period from 20 January to 9 February 1982.
279.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from 29 October 1980 and was paid to 6 March 1982 at the maximum appropriate rate. Payment ceased after that date following the receipt in my Department of a final certificate certifying him fit to resume work on 24 January 1982. An intermediate certificate, dated 5 March 1982, was subsequently received and payment has been resumed as from that date. All benefit due to 3 April 1982 has been issued.
The question of the claimant's entitlement to disability benefit in respect of the period 25 January 1982 to 4 March 1982 is being investigated by the local inspector of my Department and on completion of the inquiries he will be notified of the outcome.
280.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason invalidity benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned was in receipt of invalidity benefit from the British Department of Health and Social Security from 25 January 1981 to 18 September 1981 and disability benefit from my Department from 19 September 1981 to 21 January 1982. At that stage he had exhausted his entitlement to disability benefit and it was necessary to review his claim to ascertain whether he was entitled to further payment.
Following inquiries it was established that he had less than the minimum of 156 paid contributions required for entitlement to further payment of disability benefit. As, however, he had contributions prior to 1953 which are reckonable for invalidity pension but not for disability benefit purposes he may be qualified for such pension if he is permanently incapable of work. Arrangements have therefore been made to have him examined by a medical referee of my Department on 20 April 1982 to ascertain whether he satisfies this condition. On receipt of the report of the medical referee's examination his claim will be reviewed.
281.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 12 January 1982 and has been paid from 15 January 1982, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. Payment of all disability benefit due to 1 April 1982 has been issued.
Payment of benefit was delayed initially as, according to the records of my Department he had not the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1980-81, the contribution year governing his claim. Following inquiries it was established that he had 52 credited contributions in that year and was qualified for payment. A cheque paying benefit for the period 15 January 1982 to 25 February 1982 was issued on 10 March 1982. Further payment has since issued on receipt of medical evidence of incapacity.
282.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 28 January 1982. At the date of his claim he was not entitled to payment as he had less than the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution year 1980-1981 which governed his claim.
Following inquiries it was ascertained from his employers that he was employed for 52 weeks during the year 1980-81 and that he was qualified for payment at the maximum appropriate rate. Payment of all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 1 February 1982, fourth day of incapacity, to 13 March, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, has been made.
283.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a widow's pension has been reduced in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; if he will indicate the position regarding her appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned has been in receipt of a widow's non-contributory pension at a partial rate since 21 March 1976, on the basis of her means derived from capital and a British pension.
Following a review of her case in February 1982, consequent on the increase in her British pension to £20.03 sterling from 23 November 1981, it was found that her means had increased and accordingly her rate of non-contributory Irish pension was reduced to £7.15 a week with effect from 29 January 1982. This rate of pension will be increased to £10.45 a week from 2 April 1982. In addition her living alone allowance will be increased from £2.15 to £2.70 a week from that date.
She was notified of this decision and of her right, if dissatisfied, to appeal against it. No appeal has been received to date.
284.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when all arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from 24 May 1979 to 18 July 1981 after which date he was certified fit to resume work. He subsequently reported that the benefit cheque for the week commencing 18 May 1981 had not been received. Following investigation it has now been decided to issue a replacement cheque.
In August 1981 the claimant submitted medical evidence covering 7 and 8 August and 14 and 15 August but he was not entitled to payment of disability benefit in respect of these days as the period of incapacity on each occasion was less than three days in a period of six days.
He again claimed benefit on 28 October 1981 and all payment due to 3 April 1982 has been made. In January last he reported that the cheque which issued on 21 January 1982 had not been received. The necessary form of indemnity was issued to him on three occasions since 8 February but so far he has failed to complete it. On receipt of the duly completed form a replacement cheque will issue.
285.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Dublin will be paid all pay-related benefit due to him.
The entitlement of the person concerned to pay-related benefit as a supplement to unemployment benefit will be determined when he furnishes the necessary particulars of his earnings which are required for the calculation of the rate of pay-related benefit payable in his case.
The person concerned has been asked to supply the required details on a number of occasions but to date he has not done so.
286.
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.
Following inquiries it has been established that the person concerned will not reach old age pension age until next June and that he is now only at the stage of making his claim. There is no question, therefore, of any delay being involved. When the application is received it will be referred to the social welfare officer for investigation and report to the local pension committee.
287.
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 claimed disability benefit from 15 February 1982 and has been paid from 18 February, fourth day of incapacity. Payment of all disability benefit due to 20 February 1982, after which date he resumed work, has issued.
The delay in payment was due to the fact that a final certificate only was received in my Department from the claimant. Payment was authorised on confirmation by his employers of the duration of his illness.
288.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying social welfare benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit for the period 20 July 1980 to 2 October 1981. Payment ceased after that date as no further medical evidence was received. On receipt of the Deputy's question an officer of my Department visited the person concerned and confirmed that he had been ill and incapable of work from 5 to 24 October 1981 and accordingly payment for that period was issued on 29 March 1982.
As the claimant was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance for the period in question the amount of the allowance paid to him has been withheld from the arrears of benefit due and refunded to the South Eastern Health Board.
289.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying social welfare benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Waterford.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since January 1981 and was paid regularly each week to 2 January 1982. As, at that stage he had been in receipt of benefit for 52 weeks, payment was suspended pending review of his claim to establish if he was entitled to further payment beyond that period. On completion of the necessary inquiries payment was resumed on 10 February 1982 and all benefit due to 3 April has been issued. Payment will continue to issue regularly each week, but in future medical evidence will only be required at monthly intervals.
290.
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.
Due to a clerical error an allowance book in respect of claimant's sixteen-year-old daughter issued to an incorrect address. The allowance book was returned undelivered and was reissued to the claimant on 18 March 1982 payable from January 1982.
A payable order in respect of arrears due for September and October 1981 issued on 15 December 1981 and a further payable order in respect of arrears due for November and December 1981 issued on 23 March 1982.
291.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit combined with the blind pension will be paid at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit since September 1977. He was also awarded a blind pension from 1 February 1978.
In accordance with the Social Welfare (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations a man in receipt of blind pension and disability benefit concurrently is entitled to the appropriate personal rates of benefit and pension and also to the full increases for his wife on both benefit and pension.
The increase payable for the children is limited to either the increase payable by way of disability benefit or of pension, whichever is the greater. In this case the increase of disability benefit is greater than the increase of pension. It has been the practice, however, to include the latter increase in the pension orders in the blind pension book issued to him and to pay the balance due to him in the weekly payments of disability benefit. As, however, the rate of benefit paid to him in respect of the children was higher than that to which he was entitled, he has in fact been overpaid £440.73. It is proposed to recover this amount by small weekly deductions from future benefit payments.
292.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who applied in September 1981.
Inquiries to establish the means of the person concerned who applied for unemployment assistance on 14 December 1981 were recently completed and a deciding officer assessed him with nil means.
Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears of unemployment assistance due to him this week and weekly payments will continue as they become due.
293.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will examine the claim for unemployment benefit by a person (details supplied) in Dublin; and the reasons it has been rejected.
Entitlement to unemployment benefit of the person concerned has been established and all benefit due was paid on 10 March 1982.
Delay occurred in payment mainly due to inquiries being necessary to establish the insurability of employment during the relevant governing contribution period.