asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in regard to an application for an old age pension from a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
260.
The investigation of the claim of the person concerned is almost completed. The claim will be referred to the local pension committee for decision shortly. If payment of a pension is recommended it will be put into payment provisionally pending the committee's decision.
261.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Galway is in receipt of the maximum amount of old age pension.
The person concerned has been in receipt of an old age pension at the reduced rate of £4.45 a week plus £2.70 living alone allowance with effect from 14 June 1982. The assessment of his means, consisting of a British retirement pension, entitled him to a pension at this rate.
Following a routine review of his entitlement his means were reassessed to take account of an increase in his British pension in November 1982. As a result of the reassessment he is no longer entitled to the £4.45 rate. Accordingly, he was requested to return his pension book for adjustment of the rate but it has not yet been received from him.
The rate appropriate to the revised means assessment is £2.45 a week plus £2.70 living alone allowance.
262.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied), in County Galway, will receive an increase in his unemployment benefit.
The person concerned was allowed unemployment benefit from 13 March 1982 at the weekly rate of £49.80 increased to £61.45 from 5 April 1982.
After receiving the benefit for 156 days the weekly rate was reduced to £52.15 from 15 September 1982 as the person concerned did not satisfy the statutory condition of having 280 qualifying contributions in the previous seven years.
The person concerned is accordingly in receipt of the full amount of unemployment benefit to which he is entitled.
263.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in granting pay-related benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit in connection with an incapacity resulting from an accident at work on 21 April 1982. Disability benefit was paid on an interim basis until injury benefit was allowed on 2 June 1982. Injury benefit including pay-related benefit was then paid to 19 October 1982. The claimant was due to be transferred from that date to disability benefit but benefit was paid in error only from 9 November. The error has however now been rectified and cheques for £232.20 and £174.84 in respect of the arrears due were issued on 1 February 1983.
264.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the non-payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as he has continually forwarded monthly certificates and is unfit for work.
The person concerned was disallowed payment of disability benefit from 17 May 1982 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and was examined on 21 June 1982 by a different medical referee who also considered him to be capable of work. The case was then referred to an appeals officer who upheld the decision to disallow payment of disability benefit in respect of the period from 17 May 1982 to 15 October 1982, the date of the latest medical certificate before him. Medical evidence of incapacity for work subsequent to 15 October 1982 has not been received from the claimant.
265.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding an application for unemployment benefit by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned has been allowed at the weekly rate of £94.45. He is a postal applicant and arrangements have been made to issue an order for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of unemployment benefit due to him this week. Further weekly payments of unemployment benefit will be made to him as they become due. He has been asked to furnish details of his earnings during periods of employment and when he does so his entitlement to pay-related benefit will be determined.
266.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 9 June 1982. Entitlement to pay-related benefit in his case is subject to the condition that the sum of weekly unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and income tax rebate may not exceed 85 per cent of his average net weekly earnings from April 1982 to the date of claim for benefit.
Based on the evidence of earnings which the person concerned furnished the 85 per cent limit was calculated at the weekly rate of £12.65 and as the rate of flat-rate unemployment benefit payable to him £26.25 exceeds that amount pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
267.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who is on an invalidity pension will be entitled to a free electricity allowance.
The ESB have confirmed that the allowance is being applied to the electricity account of the person concerned from the January-February 1983 billing period onwards.
268.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment assistance paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned has been allowed at the weekly rate of £40.75 being the maximum rate payable to him, £63.75 less means £23.00 derived from self-employment.
He is a postal applicant and an order for encashment at his local post office paying all arrears of unemployment assistance due will issue to him this week. Further weekly payments of unemployment assistance will be made as they become due.
269.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment assistance paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
The person concerned applied for a qualification certificate which is a prerequisite for the receipt of unemployment assistance on 11 August 1982. The application has, however, been disallowed on the grounds that he has failed to show that his means do not exceed the statutory limit of £2,350 per annum. He failed to reply to the request of the social welfare officer for particulars which would enable his means to be assessed.