asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of unemployment assistance (smallholders) to be restored immediately to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
68.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 29 April 1981 by a deciding officer on the ground that he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. He failed to give an explanation of the disposal of capital which he had acquired from the sale of a house.
The person concerned did not appeal against the disallowance and he has not been in touch with the Department since July 1981.
80.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is presently in receipt of a British retirement pension of £13.82 weekly and an Irish retirement pension of £21.60 weekly making a total of £35.42 weekly.
This sum exceeds the maximum amount of unemployment assistance which would be payable in his case and receipt of retirement pension is more beneficial to him. Unemployment assistance cannot be paid concurrently with retirement pension.
Furthermore it is not possible to be available for and genuinely seeking work which is a condition for unemployment assistance while at the same time being a recipient of retirement pension, which requires that a recipient must not engage in insurable employment.
88.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying social insurance benefit to a person (details supplied) in Limerick.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit from 10 April 1982 in respect of an accident at work on 6 April 1982.
Pending inquiries regarding the nature and origin of incapacity he was paid disability benefit on an interim basis from 10 April 1982, fourth day of incapacity. In addition he was paid pay-related benefit from 21 April 1982, thirteenth day of incapacity.
On completion of the inquiries it was accepted that the incapacity was in fact due to an accident at work and injury benefit was allowed at the maximum appropriate rate from 6 April 1982, date of accident. Payment of all injury benefit due to 26 April 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, less the amount of interim disability benefit already paid has been made.
There was no delay in payment of benefit in this case.
89.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when social welfare benefit in respect of a period from early November 1981 to 16 January 1982 will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 30 October 1981 and was paid from 3 November 1981, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due to 9 January 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work, has been issued.
As he was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance during the period of his claim the amount of the allowance advanced was deducted from benefit due and was refunded to the Mid-Western Health Board.
He was not entitled to payment of pay-related benefit as the weekly rate of disability benefit paid to him exceeded his reckonable weekly earnings in 1979-80, the tax year relevant to his claim.
94.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Social Welfare when social insurance and pay-related benefits will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Limerick.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 12 March 1982. At the date of his claim he was not entitled to payment as, according to the records of my Department, he had less than the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in 1980/81, the contribution year governing his claim.
Following inquiries it was ascertained that he had sufficient employment in 1980/81 to qualify him for payment of disability benefit from 16 March, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. Payment of all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due, less supplementary welfare allowance advanced, has been made to 30 April 1982.