asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
356.
The claim of the person concerned to unemployment benefit was disallowed on the grounds that he did not fulfil the condition of being available for work on and from 21 October 1982. He appealed against the decision but after an oral hearing of his appeal on 24 January 1983 an appeals officer upheld the disallowance. He has not been in touch with his local office since 26 January 1983.
357.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was reduced from £22.95 to £0.35 in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
Following a review of his case the means of the person concerned were assessed at £57.60 derived from the factual value of his holding. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him was reduced to £0.35 being the maximum rate payable to him £57.95 less means £57.60.
He appealed his case and an appeals officer reduced the means assessed against him to £30.00 with effect from 22 December 1982. One of his two qualified children attained the age of 18 years on 14 February 1983 and accordingly the current rate of unemployment assistance payable to him is £20.50 being the maximum rate £50.50 less means £30.00. However he was overpaid unemployment assistance by reason of his failure to disclose means and weekly deductions of £5.00 are being made in recovery of the amount overpaid.
Accordingly he is presently being paid £15.50 weekly and further weekly payments at this rate will be paid to him as they become due.
358.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in regard to an application for social welfare assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned applied for a single woman's allowance on 10 February 1983. Her case has been referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of her means. When the inquiries are completed her means will be assessed and her entitlement to single woman's allowance will be determined accordingly.
359.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an old age pension has been reduced substantially in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The old age pension of the person concerned has been reduced following a recent reinvestigation of his claim which revealed that his means had increased since the social welfare officer's last visit in 1976.
The revised assessment of the person's means, consisting of half the weekly value of his wife's share of a holding, capital and free lodgings under a deed of transfer of his holding, entitles him to a pension at the rate of £8.45 a week plus £4.30 adult dependant allowance and £2.50 over 80 allowance. This rate is in payment pending the decision of the local pension committee on the case.
360.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an applicant for unemployment assistance (details supplied) in County Galway only received £13.00 between June and October 1982.
The person concerned was assessed with means of £23 per week derived from the value of board and lodging on the family farm. He was paid unemployment assistance at the rate of £2.45 per week — the rural rate of £25.45 applicable in his case less means of £23 for the period of signing 7 July 1982 to 12 October 1982.
361.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will increase the amount of unemployment benefit being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway which is at present the subject of an appeal.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the rate of £4.65 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £25.45 less means £20.80. His means are derived from the value of board and lodging on his parents holding. He recently appealed against the amount of means assessed against him and arrangements are being made to have his case determined by an appeals officer. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
362.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an appeal for unemployment assistance by a person (details supplied) in County Galway has been refused.
An oral hearing of the appeal was held on 26 January 1983 and the applicant attended and gave evidence on his own behalf. The appeals officer however decided on the basis of the evidence submitted to him that the person concerned was not available for work. Payment of unemployment assistance was accordingly disallowed.
363.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason pay-related benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
The person concerned was paid all pay-related benefit to which he was entitled while in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit at £55.10 weekly increasing to £68.05 weekly from 5 April 1982 during the period 22 March 1982 to 13 April 1982.
The rate of pay-related which he received was £35.82 weekly reducing to £22.87 weekly from 5 April 1982. His entitlement was governed by the limitation which provides that the sum of weekly flat-rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and income tax rebate may not exceed 85 per cent of his net average weekly earnings. The 85 per cent limit applicable to him was £90.92.
364.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when all social welfare entitlements will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
The person concerned has been claiming unemployment benefit since 25 October 1982. His entitlement to benefit is governed by his contribution record during the period 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981 during which period he had a total of 29 weeks of insurable employment. He is accordingly entitled to reduced rate benefit at £28.30 weekly.
He is also entitled to pay-related benefit governed by his reckonable earnings during the period 6 April 1980 to 5 April 1981 and on this basis he is being paid pay-related benefit £9.19 weekly.
The person concerned is accordingly being paid the combined payment of £37.49 which represents the weekly rate of flat-rate unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit to which he is entitled.
365.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position in regard to an application for a single woman's social welfare allowance for a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned applied for a single woman's allowance on 24 February 1983.
Arrangements are being made to refer her case to a social welfare officer for investigation of her means. When the inquiries are completed her means will be assessed and her entitlement to single woman's allowance will be determined accordingly.
366.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will grant an increase in unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
The person concerned is in receipt of unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £9.95 being the maximum rate payable to him £57.95 less means £48.00. Means in his case were determined by an appeals officer and they were derived from maintenance provided by his father and from land. He is accordingly in receipt of the rate of unemployment assistance to which he is entitled having regard to the means assessed against him.
367.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when occupational injury benefit for a period in 1981 will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if benefit will be paid for that period and for the period 31 March 1981 to date.
Occupational injury benefit was allowed to the person concerned in respect of certified incapacity for the period 3 March 1981 to 31 March 1981. Following a review the claim has been allowed from the date of accident and injury benefit has been paid in respect of the period from 28 October 1980 to 2 March 1981.
Since March 1981 no further medical evidence of incapacity was received until 18 November 1982. At that time the person concerned was not entitled to injury benefit on the grounds that the maximum injury benefit period of 26 weeks from the date of the accident had expired. Neither was she qualified for disability benefit in the absence of any reackonable contributions after she reached the age of 16 years.
She may however be entitled to disablement benefit in respect of loss of faculty arising from the accident. Arrangements have accordingly been made for a medical examination to assess the degree of any disablement that may have resulted from the accident.
368.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has not yet received occupational injury benefit which he applied for in November 1982.
The person concerned claimed occupational injury benefit on 1 December 1982 in respect of an incapacity resulting from an accident at work on 30 November 1982.
Pending the completion of investigation of the accident, he was paid disability benefit on an interim basis from 4 December 1982, the fourth day of incapacity, together with pay-related benefit from 15 December 1982, the thirteenth day of incapacity.
Following confirmation of the occupational accident, he was awarded injury benefit at the rate of £79.95 a week from the date of the accident increased to £86.90 from 31 December 1982, including an allowance for an additional child. Pay-related benefit ceased to be payable from this date as a result of the injury benefit rate exceeding his reckonable weekly earnings, £81.78, in the relevant tax year, 1980-81. All benefit due in respect of medical certificates received has now been paid including sums due in respect of injury benefit less disability benefit paid on account.
369.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork is not being paid full unemployment benefit although all relevant documents were submitted six weeks ago.
The person concerned exhausted his entitlement to unemployment benefit when he completed 390 days on 14 October 1982.
He claimed unemployment assistance and is presently being paid unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £47.70 being the maximum rate of £65 less means £17.30. Means in his case are derived from his wife's earnings.
He recently applied to have his means reinvestigated and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer for further investigation. The rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be reviewed in the light of the report of the social welfare officer.
370.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason arrears of an unmarried mother's allowance have not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
An application for unmarried mother's allowance was received from the person concerned on 8 June 1982 and an award made with effect from 10 June. An allowance book with orders payable from 22 July 1982 was issued and arrears for the period from 10 June to 21 July 1982 were sent to her direct by payable order on 12 October 1982.
Claimant has written claiming that she sent in an earlier application form for the allowance in February 1982 but there is no trace of its receipt in the Department nor did the claimant make any reference to it in the application form received from her on 8 June 1982. The claimant has accordingly received full payment of the allowance to which she is entitled.
371.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Cork if he is eligible for the benefit.
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 6 September 1982. He was not qualified for benefit at the commencement of his claim as he had less than the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in 1980-81, the contribution year governing his claim.
Investigation by my Department resulting in payment of outstanding contributions have, however, established the claimant's entitlement to benefit. Two cheques representing arrears of disability benefit and pay-related benefit due to 18 February 1983, date of latest medical certificate received, were issued to him on 25 February 1983 and 28 February 1983 respectively.
372.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason persons (details supplied) in County Kerry did not qualify for an old age pension at the full rate.
Each of the couples concerned is in receipt of an old age pension at the reduced rate of £30.45 a week. It was decided by the local pension committee that the assessment of their means, consisting in each case of half the weekly value of a holding and capital, does not entitle them to pensions at a higher rate.
373.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
The entitlement of the person concerned to unemployment benefit could not be determined until inquiries to ascertain his availability for work had been made. The investigations were recently completed and his claim was allowed. He is proving unemployment for four days each week and is paid at the rate of £12.50 daily.