asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry does not qualify for unemployment assistance.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
516.
The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment assistance as his means, as recorded in my Department, exceed the statutory limit.
He has, however, applied for reinvestigation of his claim but inquiries were delayed because of difficulty in locating papers relating to previous claims. These have now been found and the reinvestigation will be completed shortly. Entitlement to unemployment assistance will then be decided.
517.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry was not investigated in relation to his application for a non-contributory old age pension, which he applied for last April.
The entitlement of the person concerned to non-contributory old age pension was investigated in February 1982.
It was decided by an appeals officer that he is entitled to pension at the reduced weekly rate of £2.45 plus £1.30 for his wife and £7.30 for one qualified child from 11 April 1982, the date he attained pension age. The assessment of his means, consisting of half the weekly value of a farm, entitles him to pension at these rates.
The appropriate pension books were issued to the pensioner in April and my Department have not been approached by him since then.
518.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in a case (details supplied) in Dublin 10 why claims for disability benefit in February or March last have only been partially paid; and when all the outstanding arrears will now be paid.
The person concerned had two claims to disability benefit in February and March 1982 as follows:
(a) 6 February to 13 February 1982, and
(b) 23 February to 29 March 1982.
He was not entitled to payment initially on these claims as he had not sufficient contributions to his credit to qualify him for benefit. Following inquiries, however, it was established that he had additional contributions which served to qualify him for payment. All benefit due on the claims was paid by cheques which issued on 25 March, 29 March and 14 April 1982. The payments were at the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with five children.
The claimant had a number of subsequent claims on which payment was not made to him in full because of a request for separate payment by his wife, in respect of herself and five qualified children. It was necessary to have this matter investigated by an inspector before a decision could be made regarding the claimant's entitlement. On completion of the inquiries all benefit due to the claimant at the maximum personal rate on these claims was issued. At the same time a separate payment was issued to the claimant's wife in respect of herself and five children.
519.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the approximate total cost of social welfare benefit to be paid to road workers in Galway County Council for the three-week period during which they are being laid off.
I understand from Galway County Council that they envisage a temporary lay-off of some 179 road workers for a period of two weeks and a further 53 road workers for a period of one week during November. The estimated cost of unemployment benefit payable to the workers concerned for the periods in question is approximately £16,500.
520.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment assistance under the small farmers scheme to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment assistance as he has been assessed with means in excess of the rate of unemployment assistance payable. He has appealed against the assessment and his case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination.
His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
521.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay disability benefit at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 3 December 1981 and has been paid to 18 October 1982, date of latest medical certificate received, at the rate appropriate to a married woman.
She also claimed an increase of benefit in respect of her husband and three children but this claim was refused on the ground that the medical evidence submitted in relation to her husband did not indicate that he is wholly or mainly maintained by her or that he is incapable of self-support by reason of some physical or mental infirmity. She was notified to this effect on 21 July 1982 and advised that if she could provide additional medical evidence, such as a consultant's report, as to her husband's condition the claim would be reconsidered. A reminder issued on 17 September 1982 but so far no reply has been received from her.
It is proposed to have her interviewed by an inspector at an early date with a view to obtaining additional medical evidence in relation to the husband's health condition.
522.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is out of work following an accident.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 29 August 1982. Payment of all disability benefit due from September 1982, fourth day of incapacity, to 29 October 1982, the date of the latest medical certificate received, has been made.
523.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow as he has received no money since 10 July 1982.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 26 January 1981 to 12 July 1982. Payment was disallowed after that date following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He has appealed against the disallowance and, in connection with his appeal, arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 11 November 1982. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed when the report of the medical referee examination is received.
524.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the early payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has been out of work for the past six weeks.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 16 September 1982 and was paid from 20 September 1982, fourth day of incapacity, at the maximum rate appropriate to a married man with three qualified children. All disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 6 November 1982 has been issued.
525.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned is at present in receipt of weekly unemployment assistance at the rate of £15.45 being the maximum amount payable to him £25.45 less means £10.00.
He has appealed against the assessment of means and his case has been referred to an appeals officer for determination. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
526.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the child is now eleven months old and the application was made to his Department when the child was born.
A children's allowance was awarded to the person concerned in respect of her second child with effect from July 1982 on the basis of a claim made in June 1982.
The claimant stated that she had previously claimed for the same child in January 1982 but as there was no trace of it in the Department the matter was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. On receipt of his report it was accepted that the earlier claim had been made and the allowance was awarded with effect from December 1981, the earliest date from which allowance can be paid in respect of a child born in November 1981.
A payable order amounting to £69.75 representing arrears due for the period December 1981 to June 1982 was issued direct to the claimant's home address on 26th October 1982.
527.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an increase in unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
An appeals officer has reduced the amount of means assessed against the person concerned and accordingly the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him has been increased from £1.45 weekly to £13.45 weekly. Arrangements have been made for the early payment of all arrears due.
528.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if an increase in unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned does not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions for payment of unemployment benefit. He is, however, at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £1.30 being the maximum rate appropriate to him £17.80 less means £16.50 derived from the notional value of his holding and from capital.
He was recently supplied with a form to enable him to appeal against the amount of means assessed against him.
When he completes and returns the form his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
529.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was not granted to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit in September 1981 in respect of an incapacity which commenced in June 1978. He was not entitled to payment as he had not the required minimum of 26 paid or credited contributions in the contribution year 1979/80 which governed his claim. In fact he has no paid contributions to his credit since 1962 and it is understood that he was self-employed from that date up to the commencement of his present illness. In these circumstances it would be necessary for him to resume insurable employment and to have at least 26 contributions paid in respect of him before he could qualify for payment of benefit.
The position was fully explained to the claimant on a number of occasions.
530.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the severe hardship being experienced by a person (details supplied) in County Dublin, he will ensure that she is granted a supplementary welfare allowance.
The question of determining entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance is a matter for the health board in the area in question. This is a statutory provision and I have no function in relation to decisions in individual cases.
I understand however from the Eastern Health Board, which administers the supplementary welfare allowances scheme in the Dublin area, that the person concerned receives a regular weekly payment for special dietary needs and has also received payments to meet specific needs from time to time.