asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a disability allowance including pay-related benefit in respect of a six-week period will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
326.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 20 January 1982 and was paid from 23 January 1982, fourth day of incapacity. Payment of all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 24 February 1982, after which date she was certified fit to resume work, has been made. The cheques issued to her on 8 February, 16 February, 22 February and 8 March 1982.
Question No. 327 postponed.
328.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if disability benefit is due to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 29 March 1981, but she was not entitled to payment as she had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in the 1979-80 contribution year governing payment in the benefit year 1981. Likewise she is not qualified for payment in 1982 as she had less than the minimum of 26 contributions in the 1980-81 contribution year. If she remains incapable of work and continues to submit medical evidence of incapacity she will become entitled to payment from January 1983.
The person concerned is a widow and is receiving a contributory widow's pension of £36.25 a week.
329.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he considers that the qualifying age for an old age pension should be reduced; and, if so, to what age.
330.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when he proposes to reduce the old age pension age to 65 years of age.
331.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare his plans to reduce the old age pension age to 65 years; and if he has plans to reduce the qualifying age with a view to providing employment for young people.
332.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if it is Government policy to reduce the old age pension qualifying age with a view to encouraging people to retire early and as a result provide much needed employment for young people.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 329, 330, 331 and 332 together.
Provision is already made in the Social Welfare Acts for the payment of retirement pension at age 65. In effect therefore for insured workers a pension is already payable at that age.
Contributory and non-contributory old age pensions, which are not subject to a retirement condition, are payable from age 66. The qualifying age for pension generally is a matter which arises for consideration in the formulation of proposals, now being undertaken in my Department, for a national income-related pension scheme. Apart from the financial considerations involved, one of the important aspects for consideration is the possible contribution of early retirement arrangements to increasing employment for young people. This aspect is also being examined.
333.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has considered the payment of disability benefit from provincial centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am committed to providing a localised disability benefit service as I believe that it will lead to greater efficiency in administering the scheme and provide a better service to the public.
A new computer system recently introduced in the Department makes it possible to install visual display terminals for inquiry purposes in offices outside the Department's headquarters and in fact such terminals are already in the Department's Dublin public offices in Pearse Street and at Gandon House and in the employment exchange at Cork. I hope to install similar terminals in the Department's information offices throughout the country during the course of this year and next year. These will provide a local inquiry service for disability benefit claimants.
It is planned, as resources allow, to gradually expand these facilities to enable a comprehensive disability benefit service, including payment of benefit, to be developed at local offices. This will, however, require considerable extra resources by way of premises, equipment and staff and movement towards a comprehensive local service can only be expected to occur in a progressive manner. Nevertheless it is my intention that the necessary arrangements will be pursued with all possible speed.
334.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who received supplementary welfare allowances in Kilkenny in 1981; and the cost of paying this benefit.
335.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who received supplementary welfare allowances while waiting for the payment of disability and unemployment benefits and assistance in Kilkenny in 1981; and the amount recouped by the South Eastern Health Board when the benefit was paid by his Department.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 334 and 335 together.
The average number of persons in receipt of supplementary welfare allowances in Kilkenny during 1981 was 573. In addition 1,946 persons qualified under the national fuel scheme, which is administered as part of the supplementary welfare allowances scheme. Preliminary figures indicate that expenditure on supplementary welfare allowances and on the national fuel scheme was £305,988 and £156,047 respectively.
The average number of persons in receipt of supplementary welfare allowances while awaiting all social welfare payments was 148 but separate statistics are not available for the categories mentioned in the question. The amount recouped by my Department to the South Eastern Health Board when benefit was granted was £59,496.