asked the Minister for Social Welfare when benefit for spectacles will be paid to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who purchased the spectacles on the instructions of hospital doctors as a result of a recent illness; and if he is aware that he is an old age contributory pensioner who applied for benefit on 11 August 1982.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit.
295.
The person concerned claimed optical benefit on 31 August 1982. His claim was approved on 5 October 1982, and the letter of authorisation for presentation to his optician was issued to him on the same date. On 8 October 1982 he confirmed that he had satisfactorily obtained the required spectacles and payment of my Department's portion of the cost was then made to the optician in accordance with the normal procedure.
It now transpires that the claimant paid the full cost of the spectacles to the optician before the authorisation issued from my Department. The claimant is, therefore, due a refund of the Department's subvention towards the cost and the optician has agreed to make the refund. The claimant has, accordingly, been advised to contact the optician to obtain the refund.
298.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have Balbriggan town hall, County Dublin, used for the purpose of paying unemployment assistance so that people will not have to suffer the indignity of queueing in the street as at present.
It is a condition of appointment of the branch manager of the employment office in Balbriggan to provide the office accommodation for the payment of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance to persons in the area. There have neen no problems in paying unemployment assistance on Thursday every week but there was some queuing recently on Fridays when the larger number of unemployment benefit claimants attend for payment. Adjustments have, however, been made in the Friday signing and paying arrangements and these have largely resolved the problem of queuing. The branch manager is also arranging to have some of the persons who are now paid on Friday morning attend for payment on Thursday afternoon and this will further improve the position. It would not be practicable for the branch manager to use the Town Hall, Balbriggan, for paying unemployed persons.