asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay related social insurance benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway as he has been signing the unemployment register for the past 11 weeks.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
292.
The person concerned does not fulfil the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit. According to the records of the Department he has had no insurable employment in the past two years.
A claim for unemployment assistance was accepted from him and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means. Inquiries are at present being made and when these are completed his means will be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined.
293.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider increasing the unemployment benefit being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway; and if he will give a breakdown of the means which were considered when the amount of payment which he is receiving at present were calculated.
The person concerned is presently in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £0.45, being the maximum rate payable to him £25.45 less means £25. The assessment of his means was based on the letting value of portion of his land, £1,100 per annum and from land retained for his own use £200 per annum.
If he is dissatisfied with the means assessed against him it is open to him to appeal and to have his means determined by an appeals officer. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
294.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in regard to an application for disability benefit by a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a benefit claim for the person concerned. If the RSI number or the social insurance number of the claimant can be quoted this will enable the claim to be identified and the information sought by the Deputy to be supplied.
295.
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.
The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Payment of a pension has not been recommended by the social welfare officer as the assessment of the claimant's means, consisting of capital and a holding, exceeds the statutory limit of £38 a week.
296.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of an old age pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
A re-investigation of the old age pension entitlement of the person concerned, carried out following the sale of his holding, revealed that the assessment of his means is now in excess of the statutory limit of £38.00 a week. The means consist of half the weekly value of capital and an annuity from the Land Commission. Accordingly, his pension books were withdrawn and a question for revocation of his pension from 5 November 1982 was raised and has been forwarded to the local pension committee for decision.
If he is dissatisfied with the decision of the committee he will have the right of appeal against it.
297.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned was awarded a widow's non-contributory pension with effect from 2 July 1982 at a reduced rate based on means derived from land in which she has a life interest. She appealed against this decision and her case was forwarded to the local officer for further inquiries regarding a proposed transfer of the land. Her solicitor wrote recently that an assent to the registration of her son as full owner of the land in question has not yet been lodged. Her case will, however, be revised by an appeals officer as soon as the Department has been notified that the assent has been lodged.
298.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reasons unemployment benefit has been refused to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. She is, however, presently in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate £8.85 being the maximum rate payable to her less means £16.60. Her means were derived from the value of board and lodging in her parents' home. She has appealed against the amount of means assessed against her and arrangements are being made for a further investigation of her case by a social welfare officer in the light of contentions on which she based her appeal. When the inquiries are completed her case will be determined by an appeals officer and her entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of his decision.
299.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway as he has been signing since 1 June 1982.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment assistance has been under investigation but he has so far failed to supply certain information which is necessary to complete the assessment of his means. As soon as this information is supplied his means will be assessed and entitlement to benefit determined.
300.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay invalidity benefit which is due to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
A form on which to claim invalidity pension has been forwarded to the person concerned. On its return, duly completed, the claim will be dealt with without delay and a pension book issued.
301.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed from 3 November 1982 on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work. He recently lodged an appeal against the disallowance and arrangements are being made for a hearing of his case at the earliest opportunity. His entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
302.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will restore unemployment assistance at the maximum rate to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned had been assessed with weekly means of £3.85 derived from land since 26 June 1981. He applied for a review of his means and as a result his weekly means were increased to £12.70 derived from land and capital with effect from 19 January 1983. His weekly rate of unemployment assistance was accordingly reduced from £54.10 to £45.25 being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £57.95 less means £12.70. He recently appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for additional inquiries. When these are completed his case will be referred to an appeals officer for determination and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of the appeals officer's decision.
303.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the immediate payment of an old age non-contributory pension to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The claim of the person concerned for a non-contributory old age pension has been investigated and referred to the local pension committee for decision. Payment of a pension has not been recommended by the social welfare officer as the assessment of the claimant's means, consisting of a half share of the income from letting of a shop, exceeds the statutory limit of £38 weekly.
304.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability and pay-related benefits will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
All arrears of disability benefit and pay-related benefit have now been paid. The person concerned had claimed that his incapacity had arisen from an accident at work. No reply was received to an inquiry in this connection which was issued to his employers. It has now been confirmed however that his incapacity resulted from such an accident on 16 January 1982. Injury benefit has, accordingly, been awarded for the maximum period of 26 weeks from 16 January 1982 to 16 July 1982, and the amount due less disability benefit already paid in respect of the period has been paid.
305.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an old age pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned attained pension age of 66 years on 29 January 1983 and has been awarded an old age contributory pension at the rate appropriate to his yearly average of 36 contributions with effect from 4 February 1983.
A pension book containing orders for payment from 4 February 1983 has been issued to the designated post office and he has been notified accordingly.
306.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a contributory widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person in question has been awarded widow's contributory pension, at a partial rate based on a yearly average of 26 insurance contributions, with effect from 12 March 1982. A pension order book payable from 18 February 1983 has been forwarded to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly. Arrears due from 12 March 1982 to 17 February 1983 will be paid to her shortly after adjustment in respect of unemployment benefit payments which she received in that period.
307.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned has been in continuous receipt of weekly unemployment assistance at the maximum rate payable to him £63.75 since the commencement of his claim on 20 November 1982.
Further weekly payments will be made as they become due.
308.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Carlow.
The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment assistance as he failed to furnish details of capital to the social welfare officer investigating his case and his application for a qualification certificate had to be refused. If he is now prepared to co-operate with the social welfare officer in the investigation of his means it is open to him to re-apply at his local office and his case will be reinvestigated and his entitlement determined.