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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1982

Vol. 336 No. 5

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

774.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in Cork South West as he has been signing on since 15 October 1981; and whether he will now arrange for payment.

776.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 774 and 776 together.

The person concerned made a claim to unemployment benefit on 27 October 1981. However, the claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that the claimant did not satisfy the statutory condition for the receipt of unemployment benefit that she was available for employment.

An appeal by the person concerned against the decision of the deciding officer was also disallowed by an appeals officer, whose decision is final, after an oral hearing of her case.

Following consideration of recent representations that the claimant is available for employment a deciding officer again disallowed her claim on the grounds that she was not available for employment. It is open to the person concerned to appeal against the deciding officer's recent decision if she considers that she has grounds for doing so.

775.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has submitted 12 medical certificates has not received disability benefit.

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 March 1982. At the date of claim he was not qualified for payment as, according to the records of my Department, he had not the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution year 1980-81.

Following inquiries it was later established that the claimant was claiming unemployment assistance prior to his claim and he had sufficient credited contributions to entitle him to payment. These contributions were not credited to him as he had two RSI numbers. The position has now been rectified and payment has been authorised on his claim.

Payment of arrears of disability benefit due for the period 16 March to 5 June 1982, less amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced, was issued on 3 June 1982. He is not entitled to pay-related benefit.

777.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit payments were discontinued to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 9 March 1982 and was paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to him in respect of the period from that date to 13 May 1982. Payment was disallowed after 13 May following examination by a medical referee of my Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He was notified of the decision to disallow payment and advised of his right to appeal. He subsequently submitted a final certificate certifying him fit to resume work on 24 May 1982.

The decision disallowing payment of disability benefit was not taken until the result of the medical referee examination was received. The final payment of £35.00 which issued on 20 May 1982 was in respect of flat-rate benefit and pay-related benefit due for 12 and 13 May 1982.

778.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare if persons who are disqualified from receiving unemployment assistance on the basis of means have a right to be told the information on which the decision is based.

Persons who are refused unemployment assistance on the basis of means are notified of the decision and the reason for the refusal is stated in the notification. The information on which the means of a person are assessed is, of course, provided by the individual himself and he would therefore be aware of the items of means on which the assessment was based.

779.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons a widow's pension has been withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and when payment will be resumed.

The person concerned was not in receipt of a widow's pension from my Department. She is, however, in receipt of a widow's pension from the British Department of Health and Social Security. She was paid disability benefit for 52 weeks from 23 January 1981 to 22 January 1982. As she had less than 156 paid contributions to her credit since entry into insurance, she was not entitled to payment after 22 January 1982. She cannot requalify for further payment of disability benefit until she resumes employment and has not less than 13 paid contributions in respect of insurable employment which is reckonable for disability benefit purposes.

780.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will receive pay-related benefit which is due to him in respect of the period 28 January to 16 April 1982.

The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 28 January and payment was made to 17 April 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work.

The position regarding pay-related benefit is that the weekly total of flat rate disability benefit and pay-related benefit may not exceed the claimant's average weekly reckonable earnings in the income tax year governing the claim. As the claimant's weekly flat rate disability benefit in this case exceeds his average weekly reckonable earnings in the income tax year 1980-81, which governs his claim, he was not entitled to pay-related benefit.

781.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying a children's allowance to a person (details supplied) in Cobh, County Cork.

The claimant took up residence in this country in February 1982 and made a claim for children's allowance on 9 March 1982. She did not, however, forward evidence of age of her child or supply relevant information requested by my Department until 14 May 1982.

The allowance was awarded with effect from 1 March 1982 and the appropriate allowance books were issued on 9 June 1982 to the designated post office. A payable order in respect of arrears due for March 1982 has been issued.

782.

asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford will receive disability benefit.

The person concerned was in receipt of disability from 15 February to 13 May 1982. Payment was disallowed from the latter date following examination by a medical referee of my Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. The claimant was notified of the disallowance on 19 May 1982 and advised of his right to appeal. He did not appeal and he ceased to submit medical evidence of incapacity after 13 May 1982.

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