asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of applications for disability benefit in each month in the years ended 31 March, 1980, 1981 and 1982; and the number of such applications granted in those months.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
572.
The number of claims for disability benefit received by my Department each month during the years ended 31 March 1980, 1981 and 1982 were as follows:
|
April 1979 to March 1980 |
April 1980 to March 1981 |
April 1981 to March 1982 |
|
|
April |
12,995 |
24,713 |
23,197 |
|
May |
21,366 |
26,367 |
24,800 |
|
June |
22,032 |
21,359 |
22,489 |
|
July |
28,179 |
21,567 |
23,746 |
|
August |
27,122 |
20,814 |
28,366 |
|
September |
22,084 |
22,106 |
26,316 |
|
October |
28,890 |
23,492 |
25,240 |
|
November |
27,424 |
23,074 |
23,455 |
|
December |
17,250 |
17,763 |
19,238 |
|
January |
29,553 |
24,646 |
28,327 |
|
February |
30,384 |
27,071 |
27,368 |
|
March |
26,108 |
28,992 |
22,515 |
(Note—The figures for 1979 are distorted due to the postal dispute which lasted from February to July.)
Statistics are not kept of the number of claims paid each month but it is estimated that payment is made in more than 90 per cent of all claims received.
573.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment assistance at the maximum rate of a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The claim to unemployment assistance of the person concerned was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that his means exceeded the statutory limit. The person concerned was supplied with a form to enable him to appeal against the assessment of his means. When he completes and returns this form his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination.
574.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will receive disability benefit.
There is no record in my Department of a claim to benefit from the person concerned since 1978. On inquiry it was ascertained that she claimed disability benefit from 27 July to 5 September 1981 and submitted supporting medical evidence. Although it has not been possible to locate the medical certificates, it has been accepted that she was incapable of work during that period. A cheque paying all disability benefit due issued on 30 April 1982.
575.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan will be paid unemployment benefit or assistance.
Inquiries were necessary to establish that the recent employment of the person concerned was insurable at the appropriate contribution class to enable his UK insurance record to be invoked for the purposes of his unemployment benefit claim.
Pending the outcome of the inquiries a claim for unemployment assistance was accepted but this claim was later withdrawn by the person concerned. The matter of his unemployment benefit claim has now been finalised and his claim has been allowed at the maximum rate. Arrangements have been made to pay all unemployment benefit due to him this week.
576.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who is a qualified applicant.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 13 April 1982. He is not, however, qualified for payment of benefit as he had no social insurance contributions paid or credited in the 1980-81 contribution year which governed his claim.
577.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a pension book will be issued to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
A maximum rate pension order book payable from 30 April 1982 has been issued to the person concerned on a provisional basis pending the decision of the local pension committee on her claim for old age pension. The arrears due from 19 March 1982 will be issued on receipt of her husband's pension order book which has been recalled for adjustment to the personal rate.
578.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be given in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal who is an applicant for the free electricity allowance.
The ESB have been instructed to apply the free electricity allowance to the account of the person concerned from a current date. The allowance originally applied to his account from the May-June 1979 billing period onwards.
Following receipt of a fresh application in April 1981, in respect of a change of address, he was notified on 15 June 1981 that the allowance would be applied to his account from the next complete billing period. The Department were not aware until now that the allowance was not being applied to the applicant's account between June 1981 and April 1982. Arrangements are accordingly being made for the applicant to have the benefit of the allowance from the original date.
579.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay social assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been awarded a social assistance allowance with effect from 18 February 1982. A pension order book payable from 6 May 1982 has been forwarded to the designated post office for collection by her. The arrears of pension will be paid direct to the claimant after deduction of the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced to her by the Southern Health Board.
580.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
There is no trace of receipt of a claim to unemployment benefit from a person residing at the address supplied by the Deputy. The parliamentary question is presumed to refer to a person of the same name but residing at a different address in the same general area who lodged a claim for unemployment assistance on 13 April 1982.
This person's case has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. When inquiries are completed his means will be assessed by a deciding officer and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined expeditiously.
581.
(Waterford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford received no social welfare benefit for the last three weeks.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit in respect of an accident at work on 14 December 1981 and has been paid at the maximum appropriate rate from that date. Due to an administrative error there was a delay in payment at the end of March. This matter has since been rectified and all payment due to 26 April 1982 has been made.
582.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment and pay-related benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and when payment will be made.
The person concerned, who is a postal claimant, claimed unemployment benefit on 9 December 1981 but his claim was disallowed up to 15 January 1982 by a deciding officer on the grounds that he left his employment voluntarily without just cause. He did not appeal against the disallowance. He was subsequently written to on three occasions seeking information about his claim but to-date he has not replied. When he replies to the inquiries his entitlement to unemployment benefit will be reviewed in the light of his reply.
583.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and when payment will be made.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from May 1980 to 24 August 1981, after which date he ceased to submit medical evidence of incapacity. He was in receipt of unemployment assistance from 1 September 1981 to 7 December 1981. He again claimed disability benefit from 8 December 1981 and all payment due has been made to 8 May 1982. There has been no delay in the payment of disability benefit in this case as the cheques issue on the same day each week paying up to the end of that week.
584.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a pension claim in this case. If the Deputy can give further particulars which would enable the person concerned to be identified the matter will be re-examined.
585.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has not received disability benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 3 November 1980 and was paid at the maximum appropriate rate from 6 November 1980, fourth day of incapacity, to 4 November 1981. Payment ceased after that date as he had less than the required minimum of 156 paid contributions to entitle him to payment for more than 52 weeks. According to the records of my Department the claimant had only 148 contributions paid from the date of his entry into insurance to the date of commencement of his illness.
586.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan who applied for disability benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 2 March 1982, and was paid from 5 March 1982, fourth day of incapacity. All disability benefit and pay related benefit due to 1 May 1982 has been issued.
587.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance cannot be determined until his means have been assessed by a deciding officer. The person concerned has not to date satisfactorily accounted for the disposal of a substantial amount of capital acquired following the sale of his land. He has again been requested to provide this information and when he does so a decision will be made on his claim without delay.
588.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware of the difficulty and the stress being caused to a wife (details supplied) in Dublin who, because her husband is ill and in hospital and who visits him daily, is unable to benefit from the free travel allowance although he is entitled to the allowance and she is within a matter of months of the appropriate qualifying age; and if, in view of the unusual circumstances of this case, he will consider her application as sympathetically as possible.
As the person concerned is not yet 66 years of age and is not in receipt of an allowance or pension which would entitle her to free travel, it is regretted that a free travel pass cannot be issued to her. It is, however, open to her to apply to her local community welfare officer for assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme if she is unable to meet the cost of travel to visit her husband in hospital.