asked the Minister for Health if he will consider granting medical cards to old age pensioners who are in severe ill health because of working conditions during their working life.
Written Answers . - Social Welfare Benefits .
503.
: Medical cards are granted to persons who are unable without undue hardship to arrange the general practitioner services which they need for themselves and their dependants.
In assessing applications for medical cards account is taken both of the applicants need for services and of ability to pay for these services.
It can be expected that many of the persons who are old age pensioners and who have severe ill health meet these requirements and are eligible for medical cards. I do not consider it necessary to duplicate this provision for these persons nor to extend it to those pensioners who do not have financial problems in providing the services they need.
504.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an old age pension has not been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and when the pension will be paid.
: On the basis of the assessment of her means, the person concerned would qualify for an old age pension of £28.45 a week at present. However, an adult dependant allowance of £30.05 is in payment to her husband in respect of her as part of his old age contributory pension. The old age pension and the adult dependant allowance cannot be paid concurrently. Accordingly, the adult dependant allowance which is the greater, is being paid.
505.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary has not been paid unemployment benefit to date; and when it will be paid.
: The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for unemployment benefit. He lodged unemployment assistance claims for intermittent weeks of unemployment and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation of his means.
Inquiries are still being made by the social welfare officer but they are expected to be completed shortly. The means of the person concerned will then be assessed and his entitlement to unemployment assistance will be determined accordingly.
506.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Wexford was refused unemployment benefit.
: The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that she was not making efforts to find work and accordingly she was deemed to be not available for employment.
She recently appealed against the disallowance and arrangements are being made for a hearing of her case at the earliest opportunity. Her entitlement to unemployument benefit will be reviewed in the light of the decision of the appeals officer.
507.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have unemployment benefit for three days per week paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has been on a three-day week since 3 February 1982 and who has received no money whatsoever.
: The unemployment benefit claim of the person concerned commenced on 3 February 1983 and certain inquiries had to be made about her contributions before her entitlement could be determined.
These investigations were recently completed and her claim was allowed at the weekly rate £29.30 with pay-related benefit at £6.17 weekly.
Arrears at the rate of £17.76 a week are accordingly due to her and these will be paid this week. Further payments in respect of days of unemployment while engaged in short-time work will be paid as they become due.
508.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a deserted wife's allowance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and when it will be paid.
: The reason for the delay in deciding on the claim of the person concerned to deserted wife's allowance/benefit is that it proved difficult to trace and then arrange an interview with her husband. At present a copy of a separation agreement is awaited from her solicitor in relation to the requirement in the regulations that she has made and continues to make reasonable efforts within the means available to her to prevail on her husband to contribute to the support and maintenance of herself and any dependent child. It is expected that the receipt of this document will enable the claim to be decided without further delay.
In the meantime it is understood that the person concerned is in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance.
509.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wexford.
: The person concerned has been paid disability benefit from 9 March 1982. According to the records of my Department, as she had less than 156 contributions paid at the appropriate rate since her entry into insurance her title to benefit was limited to 52 weeks. This period was completed on 7 March 1983.
With a view to determining if she was entitled to further payment of benefit an inspector of my Department called on her employer. As a result of that visit the question of the rate of employment contribution properly payable in respect of her employment has been raised. It appears that instead of contributions at the full rate giving title to all benefits, only reduced rate contributions giving cover for occupational injuries benefit should have been paid. Inquiries in this regard are continuing and her entitlement to any further benefit will be determined in the light of these inquiries. She will be advised of the position as soon as possible.
510.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will pay a contributory pension at the full rate to persons (details supplied) in County Cork.
: One of the persons concerned is in receipt of old age contributory pension at the rate appropriate to his yearly average of 47 contributions over the period from 5 January 1953 to 31 December 1976. He would require a yearly average of 48 contributions over this period to qualify for an old age contributory pension at the full rate. His current weekly rate of £69.75 includes an increase of £30.05 in respect of his wife. This is the full amount payable in respect of an adult dependant aged 66 years or over.
There is no record of receipt of a claim for a separate pension in her own right from his wife.
511.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay unemployment benefit at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
: The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit on 14 March 1983. He satisfies the contribution condition for payment at the maximum rate payable to him £31.65 and the benefit due will be paid this week.
Inquiries to ascertain his reckonable earnings during the relevant income tax period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 are still being made and when they are completed his title to pay-related benefit with his flat rate unemployment benefit will be determined.
512.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and when payment will be made.
: The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that by failing to furnish details of his means he failed to show that his means did not exceed the statutory limit. He subsequently furnished the required information and after a further investigation of his case he was assessed with means of £5.25 derived from self employment as a plumber. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the weekly rate of £58.50 being the maximum rate payable to him £63.75 less £5.25 means. Arrangements have been made to pay all arrears due to him this week and further weekly payments will follow as they become due.
513.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a deciding officer in his Department refused disability benefit in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; if he is aware that a senior eye consultant was of opinion that she was incapable of work and if he will investigate the case immediately.
: Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 27 January 1983 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She has appealed against the disallowance and in connection with her appeal has submitted a medical certificate from a consultant. Arrangements are being made to have her examined by a different medical referee and the certificate from the consultant will be before the medical referee when he is carrying out the examination.
514.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the outcome of an appeal against his Department's decision to refuse unemployment assistance to a person (details supplied) in County Laois who is still unemployed and who has no income.
: The case of the person concerned was referred to a social welfare officer for further investigation of his means. Inquiries have not yet been completed but when they are completed the case will be referred to an appeals officer and entitlement to unemployment assistance will be reviewed in the light of his decision.
515.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give a record of the social welfare contributions paid by a person (details supplied) in County Galway who has worked with Galway County Council since 1955.
: According to the records of my Department the person concerned entered insurance on 11 February 1951. There is no evidence in my Department to show that he was insurably employed prior to this date. Contributions have been paid and credited on his behalf as follows:
|
Year |
Contributions |
Year |
Contributions |
Year |
Contributions |
|||
|
Paid |
Credited |
Paid |
Credited |
Paid |
Credited |
|||
|
1950/51 |
19 |
32 |
1961 |
not received |
1971 |
not received |
||
|
1951/52 |
8 |
1962 |
,, |
,, |
1972 |
,, |
,, |
|
|
1953 |
18 |
1963 |
,, |
,, |
1973 |
,, |
,, |
|
|
1954 |
10 |
16 |
1964 |
,, |
,, |
1974 |
4 |
,, |
|
1955 |
Nil |
14 |
1965 |
,, |
,, |
1975 |
5 |
,, |
|
1956 |
Nil |
1966 |
,, |
,, |
1976 |
not received |
||
|
1957 |
3 |
1967 |
,, |
,, |
1977 |
10 |
,, |
|
|
1958 |
Nil |
1968 |
,, |
,, |
1978/79 |
60 |
,, |
|
|
1959 |
3 |
1969 |
,, |
,, |
1979/80 |
52 |
,, |
|
|
1960 |
2 |
1970 |
,, |
,, |
1980/81 |
51 |
1 |
|
|
1981/82 |
50 |
2 |
Note: The credited contributions shown in 1954 and 1955 are in respect of periods of unemployment while those recorded in the 1980-81 and 1981-82 contribution years are in respect of incapacity for work. The credited contributions shown in 1950-51 are pre-entry credits awarded on foot of his entry into insurance in February 1951.