(Donegal South-West) asked the Minister for Health when a disabled persons maintenance allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
471.
I have made inquiries of the North Western Health Board concerning the case referred to by the Deputy. I understand that the board have written to the applicant telling him that a disabled person's maintenance allowance will be paid to him when he stops drawing unemployment assistance.
472.
asked the Minister for Health the reason disabled persons maintenance allowance has been terminated in the case of a person (details supplied) in Ardee, County Louth.
I have made inquiries of the North Eastern Health Board concerning the case referred to by the Deputy. The person in question is in receipt of a reduced disabled person's maintenance allowance. The case is under review by the board at present. Pending the outcome of this review, the allowance has not been terminated.
473.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit in respect of an incapacity which he attributed to an accident at work on 1 February 1982.
Pending the completion of inquiries regarding the nature and origin of his incapacity, disability benefit has been awarded as an interim measure. Payment of all disability benefit due from 1 April 1982, fourth day of incapacity to 12 July 1982, date of the latest medical certificate received, has now been made.
When inquiries regarding the occupational accident have been completed, a decision will be given on the claim for injury benefit and the claimant will be notified of the outcome.
474.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the average number of recipients of the supplementary welfare allowance; and the average level of payments in each of the Eastern Health Board's administrative areas for each of the past three years.
The average number of persons in receipt of supplementary welfare allowances and the average level of monthly payments for the years ended March 1980, March 1981 and March 1982, in each of the Eastern Health Board administrative areas are as follows:
|
year ended March 1980 |
year ended March 1981 |
year ended March 1982 |
||||
|
Average number |
Average monthly payment |
Average number |
Average monthly payment |
Average number |
Average monthly payment |
|
|
Dublin |
5,078 |
£58 |
5,443 |
£74 |
6,026 |
£98 |
|
Wicklow |
247 |
£47 |
235 |
£71 |
255 |
£78 |
|
Kildare |
228 |
£85 |
201 |
£100 |
281 |
£121 |
475.
asked the Ministrer for Social Welfare the average number of the following benefits paid out in each of the last three years in each of the Eastern Health Board's administrative areas: (i) deserted wife's benefit, (ii) deserted wife's social assistance allowance, (iii) unmarried mothers' social assistance allowance, (iv) non-contributory old age pension and (v) non-contributory widow's pension.
Statistics on the schemes referred to in the question are not kept on a regional basis and the information sought by the Deputy is not, therefore, readily available.
476.
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 10 May to 19 June 1982, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. He was not qualified for payment as, according to the records of the Department, he had not the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution year 1980-81 which governed his claim. On 24 May 1982 he was requested to furnish details of his employment record in 1980-81 which might serve to qualify him for payment.
Following the receipt of an employer's statement it was established that the claimant had sufficient contributions to qualify him for disability benefit at the appropriate maximum weekly rate from 13 May 1982, fourth day of incapacity. Arrears of all disability benefit due has been issued to the claimant.
He is not entitled to pay-related benefit as his flat-rate weekly disability benefit entitlement is greater than his average weekly earnings in the income tax year 1980-81 which governed the claim.
477.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Louth has not received disability benefit for the past nine weeks.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 11 May 1982. He was not entitled to payment of disability benefit as he had not the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution year 1980-81 which governed his claim. On 24 May 1982 and again on 15 June 1982 he was requested to furnish details of contributions paid in the contribution year 1980-81 which might serve to qualify him for payment.
On receipt of the relevant information, he was qualified for payment at the appropriate maximum weekly rate of disability benefit from 11 May 1982. He was also entitled to pay-related benefit from 25 May 1982, thirteenth day of incapacity. The arrears due were held pending the receipt of information regarding the amount of supplementary welfare allowance advanced by the North Eastern Health Board.
The inquiries have now been completed and all arrears of disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 10 July 1982, less supplementary welfare allowance advanced, were issued to the claimant on 12 July 1982.
478.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if and when occupational injury or disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin having regard to the fact that his present disability results from an accident at work in 1981 in respect of which he was paid benefit; and if the payment will be expedited as all the necessary documentation has now been furnished to the Department.
The person concerned claimed injury benefit in respect of an injury sustained in an accident at work on 6 July 1981 and was paid benefit from that date to 6 August 1981. On 23 June 1982 he made a further claim arising from the same accident in respect of the period from 22 May 1982 to 17 June 1982. As the claim was outside the statutory period of 26 weeks from the date of the accident, he was not entitled to payment of injury benefit in respect of it.
The claimant is not qualified for payment of disability benefit as the employment contributions paid in respect of him are not reckonable for disability benefit purposes. He may, however, be entitled to disablement benefit in respect of any loss of faculty arising from the accident. He has been notified to this effect and has been requested to complete a claim form for such benefit. On return of the completed application form, arrangements will be made to have him examined by a medical referee of the Department for the purpose of assessing the degree of loss of faculty, if any, resulting from the accident in July 1981.
479.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the application has been made for some time.
It has been decided by an appeals officer that the person concerned is entitled to a maximum rate non-contributory old age pension from 3 March 1982.
It has also been determined by the appeals officer that she was not entitled to any pension from 15 June 1981 to 2 March 1982, as her means, consisting of a holding, exceeded the statutory limit during that period.
The appropriate pension order book, payable from 4 June 1982 has been issued and the arrears due are in course of issue.
480.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who has been signing for assistance since August 1981.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 4 June 1982 and inquiries were necessary to establish his contribution record during the relevant governing contribution period 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981 to enable his entitlement to be determined.
The investigations were recently completed and payment of unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £30.50 was authorised. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due this week.
Further weekly payments of unemployment benefit will be made as they become due.
481.
(Waterford) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Waterford has not been receiving his disability benefit on a regular basis over the last three months.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 25 February 1982 and was paid initially from 1 March 1982, fourth day of incapacity, to 13 April 1982. Payment ceased after that date because he failed to submit medical evidence of continuing incapacity.
On 19 April 1982 a notification was received from the South Eastern Health Board stating that the claimant was still incapable of work and was receiving supplementary welfare allowance. Following inquiries regarding the amount advanced by the health board, payment of disability benefit was resumed from 14 April 1982. As, however, the claimant only submitted his medical certificates at irregular intervals and as he was paid on the basis of the medical evidence received, the cheques were issued at irregular intervals. The claim was recently reviewed and it was decided, in view of the nature and duration of the incapacity, to pay him weekly in advance in future and to require him to submit medical certificates at monthly intervals only. He has been notified of this arrangement and has now been paid on this basis to 17 July 1982.
482.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in dealing with a social welfare claim by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will now arrange to have the matter resolved.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 11 June 1979 to 23 June 1979, after which date he was certified fit to resume work. He was not entitled to payment at the time as, according to the records of the Department, he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in the 1978 year which governed his claim. It was subsequently ascertained that he had sufficient contributions paid in that year to qualify him for payment. A cheque paying all benefit due at maximum rate appropriate to a single man for period 14 June 1979 (fourth day of incapacity) to 23 June 1979 has issued.
A claim form has issued to the claimant for completion in respect of his dependants, and when this form is returned any adjusting payment due will issue.