asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he intends providing cover for married women on the strength of their husbands' payment of social insurance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit.
480.
Benefits under the social insurance system are normally personal entitlements on the basis of the claimant's own insurance record. Provision in respect of dependents is made by way of increases of the payments made to claimants. Benefits on this basis are available to married women who are insurably employed and satisfy the contribution and other conditions. Married women may, however, qualify for widow's pension and deserted wife's benefit on the basis of their husbands' insurance.
The question of extending treatment benefits, including dental and optical benefits, to the wives of insured workers is at present under consideration in my Department and this extension will be introduced as soon as practical.
481.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has any intention of allowing applicants who receive invalidity pensions from Great Britain and who are otherwise qualified to avail themselves of the free electricity allowance.
The extension of schemes such as the free electricity allowance scheme to include additional categories is a matter that would normally be considered in a budgetary context. It is not proposed to extend the scheme on the lines suggested by the Deputy at the present time.
482.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is in receipt of the proper rate of unemployment assistance.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £56.95 which is the rate appropriate to a married man with six qualified children residing in a rural area, £80,00 less means of £23.05 which were assessed on a factural basis.
He had been inadvertantly paid at the incorrect rate of £15.85 a week. However, the error was corrected and all arrears of unemployment assistance due to him were paid during the week ended 30 March 1982.
The person concerned has appealed against the amount assessed against him as means and his case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
483.
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 6 January 1982 and was paid from 9 January 1982, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 20 January 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work has been issued. He again claimed from 6 March 1982 and has been paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due from 10 March 1982, fourth day of incapacity, to 5 May 1982.
There was some delay in the payment of benefit on these claims as, according to the records of my Department, the claimant had less than the required minimum of 26 paid contributions to his credit since his entry into insurable employment. Following inquiries it was established that he had sufficient weeks of insurable employment to qualify him for benefit. Payment of all benefit due on the first claim issued on 20 April 1982.
The first payment on the second claim was also made on 20 April 1982 but the payments after that date were made promptly on the receipt of medical evidence of incapacity after it had been established that he had sufficient paid contributions to qualify him for benefit.
484.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of all arrears of old age pension which are due to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The arrears of old age contributory pension, less the amount of unemployment assistance and the amount of non-contributory old age pension paid to the person concerned since he reached 66 years, have been paid to him by means of a payable order.