asked the Minister for Health when a disabled person's maintenance allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
715.
I have made inquiries from the SouthEastern Health Board regarding the case referred to by the Deputy and I have been informed that the person in question has been granted a disabled person's maintenance allowance with effect from 1 April.
716.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit at the full rate and pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has not claimed unemployment benefit since May 1981. He did, however, claim disability benefit from 26 January 1982 and was paid from 29 January 1982, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum appropriate rate. All disability benefit due to 10 May 1982 has been issued.
The social welfare regulations provide that the combined weekly rate of disability benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed a person's reckonable earnings in the tax year relevant to his claim. As the weekly rate of disability benefit (£100) in payment in this case is greater than the reckonable weekly earnings (£68.34) in 1980-81, the tax year relevant to his claim, the claimant is not entitled to pay-related benefit.
717.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a deserted wife's allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has been awarded a deserted wife's allowance with effect from 12 November 1981. An allowance book with orders payable from 13 May 1982 has been forwarded to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
The arrears due for the period 12 November 1981 to 12 May 1982 will be paid direct to the claimant after deduction of the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her by the SouthEastern Health Board since 12 November 1981.
718.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have all the cases in the Sneem area of County Kerry, where anonymous letters were sent to officials of his Department alleging that certain persons in the area were drawing unemployment assistance illegally, which appear to be completely without foundation, dealt with as a matter of top priority by his Department so that these people will not be without their unemployment assistance for any period of time.
My Department receive a considerable number of allegations of abuse of the unemployment payments schemes from a variety of sources throughout all parts of the country. These complaints are investigated and appropriate action is taken where the allegations are found to be substantiated. However, no action to withhold or reduce payment is taken unless the inquiries reveal tangible evidence to justify such action. In such cases also the applicant has the right to appeal.
719.
(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason social welfare benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.
Inquiries were necessary to establish the contribution record of the person concerned before his entitlement to unemployment benefit could be determined. Following the completion of the investigations his claim was allowed at the weekly rate of £22.25 and all arrears due were paid on 30 April 1982.
720.
(Waterford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny has received no social welfare for the past six weeks.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 5 April 1982, but was not entitled to payment at that time 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 additional contributions in that year which had the effect of qualifying him for payment. All disability benefit due to 10 May 1982 has now been issued.
721.
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 from 19 February 1982. As he was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the Southern Health Board at that time he was only entitled to payment of the difference between the two rates. On receipt of notification from the health board of the amount paid by way of supplementary welfare allowance the balance of disability benefit due to 10 April 1982 was issued. Further payment of disability benefit at the full rate was made from that date to 3 May, the date of the latest medical certificate received.
The claimant was not entitled to pay-related benefit as his average weekly earnings in the relevant income year 1980-81, were less than his entitlement by way of flat-rate disability benefit.
722.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the pay-related portion of disability benefit will be paid to an applicant (details supplied) in County Wicklow.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disability benefit continuously from 4 July 1981 to date at the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with four qualified children. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as the weekly flat-rate disability benefit payable in his case exceeds his average reckonable weekly earnings of £52.68 in 1979-80, the income tax year relevant to his claim. The rate of disability benefit payable at present is £75 a week.
723.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present situation in regard to the disability benefit claim (occupational injury) of an applicant (details supplied) in County Wicklow.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit in respect of an incapacity which he attributed to an accident at work on 15 December 1980.
Pending inquiries regarding the nature and origin of the incapacity, he was paid disability benefit on an interim basis from 18 December 1980, fourth day of incapacity, to August 1981, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. In addition he was paid pay-related benefit from 29 December 1980, thirteenth day of incapacity.
The inquiries in relation to the incapacity indicates that there is a conflict of evidence with the employers regarding the origin of the incapacity and further investigation is necessary before a decision can be made on entitlement to injury benefit. On completion of the inquiries the claimant will be notified of the outcome.