asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be paid for her son as part of her deserted wife's allowance as his date of birth is 20 March 1965.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
876.
A supplementary order book at the weekly rate of £8.30 payable from 11 November 1982 to 17 March 1983 has been forwarded to the designated post office for collection by the person concerned and a payable order for £49.80 in respect of arrears due from 30 September 1982 to 10 November 1982 has been sent direct to her. She has been notified accordingly.
Payment was inadvertently made in the case for five children instead of six. If the son reaching 18 years of age on 20 March will be receiving full-time education after that date the allowance for him will be continued. A form has been sent to the claimant asking her for a certificate to this effect.
877.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the long delay in paying unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and when payment will be made.
The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment assistance from 1 October 1982 as his means derived from self-employment at tarmacadam work exceed the statutory limit of £3,380.00 per annum. It is open to him to appeal against the amount of means assessed against him and to have his case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
878.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who is married with five children is not being paid unemployment assistance at the maximum rate, even though he has no other income.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £5.35 being the maximum rate payable to him £75.35 less means £70.00 derived from self-employment.
If he is dissatisfied with the amount of means assessed against him it is open to him to appeal and to have his case determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
879.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
An appeals officer has decided that each of the couple concerned is entitled to a pension at the maximum rate from 1 July 1982. Pension books at the rate of £34.45 payable from 7 January 1983 were issued to them on 20 January 1983 and payable orders in respect of the arrears due from 1 July 1982 have also been issued.
880.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned has been paid all disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to him to 22 January 1983.
881.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was paid all arrears of disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 4 January 1983, after which date she resumed work, on 21 January 1983.
882.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment benefit will be granted to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 10 May 1982 but his claim was refused on the grounds that he did not fulfil the statutory condition which requires that he must be available for employment.
He appealed against this decision and gave evidence on his own behalf at an oral hearing of his case on 6 July 1982. However, the appeals officer on the basis of the facts before him, upheld the decision disallowing his claim.
In September 1982, the person concerned sent in new evidence in support of his claim and this was considered by the appeals officer. However, the appeals officer did not consider that there were any grounds for revising his decision. The person concerned has not signed at his local office since 6 July 1982.
883.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cause of the long delay in restoring unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
Payment of unemployment assistance to the person concerned at the weekly rate of £16.30, being the maximum rate of £25.45 less means £9.15, was authorised but the notification to his local office went astray in transit thereby causing delay in making payment.
The matter was recently corrected and all arrears of unemployment assistance due were paid to him last week.
Further weekly payments of unemployment assistance will be made as they become due.
884.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath.
The person concerned has been awarded a widow's non-contributory pension, at the maximum rate appropriate to a widow under 66 years of age with no qualified children, with effect from Friday, 8 October 1982 i.e., the Friday following her husband's death. A pension book with orders payable from 3 December 1982 has been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
The arrears of pension due for the period from 8 October 1982 to 2 December 1982, less the amount of her late husband's old age pension which she received for six weeks after his death and which was smaller than the amount of widow's pension to which she was entitled during that period, will be issued to the claimant by payable order in the near future.
885.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny for three weeks in December, 1982.
The person named by the Deputy is in continuous receipt of unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit. It is therefore assumed that the question refers to that person's brother who was also an applicant for unemployment benefit.
The person concerned exhausted his entitlement of 390 days' unemployment benefit on 18 December 1982. He will not requalify for payment until he resumes insurable employment for a period of at least 13 weeks. He last signed as unemployed on 3 January 1983 and he has conveyed to the local office that he does not wish to claim unemployment assistance.
886.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have disability benefit paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he is unable to work and has been ill for some time.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 11 April 1979 to 22 February 1981. Payment was disallowed after that date following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He was examined on 10 April 1981 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work.
The claimant did not submit medical evidence of incapacity subsequent to the date of disallowance of benefit until 27 April 1982 when one certificate only was submitted. To be considered for payment of disability benefit a continuing period of incapacity for work must be established by the submission of medical certificates at regular intervals. If therefore the person concerned wishes to be considered for disability benefit he should submit continuing medical evidence of incapacity at weekly intervals.
887.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when outstanding social welfare and pay-related benefits, if any, will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned has been allowed and payment of weekly flat rate unemployment benefit £81.95 and pay-related benefit £4.17 commenced last week.
The balance of all arrears due, less advances of supplementary welfare allowance which have to be recouped to his local health board, will be paid this week. Combined weekly payments at £86.12 will continue to be made as they become due.
888.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for a widow's pension at the full rate to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of widow's non-contributory pension at a reduced rate based on her means derived from a holding.
In view of the representations made by the Deputy on her behalf, in which he stated that she had given her holding over to her son, the local officer was requested to furnish an up-to-date report on her means. On receipt of this report a decision will be made on her claim for increased pension and she will be notified of the outcome.
889.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for unemployment assistance to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been assessed with means at £4.25 weekly derived from the value of board and lodging on her parents holding. She is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at £21.20 being the maximum rate payable to her £25.45 less means £4.25.
She is a postal applicant and arrangements have been made to issue her this week with an order for encashment at her local post office paying all arrears of unemployment assistance due. Further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
890.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for unemployment assistance to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The qualification certificate of the person concerned was withdrawn on 27 October 1982 on the grounds that he had not fully disclosed his means. However, he appealed against this decision and following a re-investigation of his case, he has been assessed with weekly means of 5p. He is therefore entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £50.45 the appropriate maximum rate in his case less means 5p.
All arrears of unemployment assistance due to him from 27 October 1982, the date of withdrawal of his qualification certificate, will be paid to him this week at his local office. Weekly payments of £50.45 will continue as they become due.
891.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for unemployment benefit to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 26 July 1982 but did not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981.
A new benefit year commenced on 3 January 1983 and as she has sufficient contributions during the contribution period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 payment of unemployment benefit at the weekly rate of £26.95 has been allowed. All unemployment benefit due to-date has been paid and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
892.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for unemployment assistance to be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned has been assessed with means of £48.05, derived from the value of his land, and accordingly he is entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £9.90 being the maximum rate payable to him £57.95 less means £48.05.
All arrears due were paid to him last week and further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
893.
Mr. Coughlan
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a free telephone rental allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
Free telephone rental allowance has been granted to the person concerned with effect from 18 August 1982.
The Department of Posts and Telegraphs have arranged to apply the allowance to her telephone account from that date and it will appear on her January to March 1983 quarterly account.
894.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of a contributory widow's pension at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension from my Department at a partial rate. The pension is a pro rata one and was awarded subject to the provisions of the EEC Regulations. It is based on her late husband's combined Irish and United Kingdom insurance contribution records and the rate payable to her is the highest to which she is entitled under the regulations.
Claimant is also in receipt of a British widow's pension similarly awarded under the EEC Regulations.
895.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will continue the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 20 June 1982 to 7 December 1982. Payment was disallowed after that date following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work.
He appealed against the decision and in connection with his appeal arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 2 February 1983. On receipt of the report of this examination his claim for disability benefit will be reviewed.
896.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned submitted a claim form for disability benefit on 14 November 1982 but did not forward medical evidence of incapacity for work in support of his claim. He was requested on 23 November 1982 to supply the necessary medical certification so that his claim for disability benefit could be considered but he has not done so to date.
In the meantime he was claimed and is in receipt of unemployment benefit with effect from 10 January 1983.
897.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned had been in receipt of disability benefit up to 2 October 1982 when, following payment for 52 weeks, he ceased to be entitled to further payment according to the available records of his insurance contributions.
He then supplied information about employment in the United Kingdom and, following confirmation of the relevant contributions by the British authorities, all arrears of benefit have now been paid.
898.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reconsider his decision not to increase old age pensions for persons (details supplied) in County Galway.
The local pension committee has decided that each of the couple concerned is entitled to an old age pension at the reduced rate of £18.45 a week. The assessment of their means consisting in each case of half the weekly value of capital and a holding, entitles them to payment at this rate.
They have appealed against the pension committee's decision and their cases are being referred to an appeals officer. They will be informed of the appeals officer's decisions in due course.
899.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is not receiving the pay-related benefit to which he is entitled.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit at the rate of £100.00 weekly.
Regulations provide that the sum of flat-rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any income tax rebates payable to a person may not exceed 85 per cent of his average net weekly earnings. This limit in the case of the person concerned was £97.61. The flat-rate benefit which he is receiving exceeds this figure and, therefore, pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
900.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in paying deserted wife's allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The person concerned applied in November last for deserted wife's allowance and has been awarded the allowance at the maximum rate for herself and three qualified children with effect from 25 November 1982. An order book payable from 27 January 1983 has been forwarded to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
The arrears due from 25 November 1982 to 26 January 1983, less the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which was paid to the claimant by the Southern Health Board during that period, will be paid direct to her by payable order as soon as the health board have indicated the amount of their claim in this case.
901.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is not eligible for unemployment assistance even though he has been signing the unemployment register for six months.
The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 25 June 1982 but, as he failed to furnish particulars of his father's income for the purpose of assessing the value of free board and lodgings in his father's home, his means for unemployment assistance purposes could not be determined. He was written to on three occasions, the latest being on 10 January 1983, requesting the required information and advising him that without this information he could not qualify for a qualification certificate which is a prerequisite for receipt of unemployment assistance. However, he has not furnished the information so far. When he does so his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
902.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kerry did not receive a double week's invalidity pension for Christmas; and when the arrears will be paid to him.
The arrears of invalidity pension will be issued to the person concerned by payable order within the next few days.