asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) is entitled to unemployment benefit or assistance or supplementary benefit; if so, the rate; and if any arrears are due to him.
Written Answers . - Social Welfare Benefits .
679.
: The person concerned exhausted his title to unemployment benefit on 8 November 1979 and has not requalified since then.
He was in receipt of unemployment assistance from 11 January 1980 to 29 October 1982 during which period he was assessed with means at £21.10 weekly derived from board and lodging in his parents home. There are no arrears of unemployment assistance or supplementary welfare allowance due to him.
He again claimed unemployment asistance from 20 April 1983 and his claim has been authorised at £5.15 weekly being the maximum rate payable to him £26.25 less £21.10. Payments will be made weekly as they become due.
680.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) is entitled to unemployment benefit or assistance or supplementary benefit; if so, the rate; and if any arrears are due to him.
: The person concerned exhausted his title to unemployment benefit on 2 November 1981 when he completed 390 days and has not requalified to-date.
He claimed unemployment assistance and was assessed with means at £17.30 derived from board and lodging in his parents home. He subsequently moved to a different address and the means assessed against him were revised to nil with effect from 10 February 1983.
All arrears of unemployment assistance due to him have been paid less advances of supplementary welfare allowance which are due for recoupment to his health board. Weekly payments of unemployment assistance at the maximum rate of £26.25 continue to be made to him as they become due.
681.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in County Dublin is entitled to unemployment benefit or assistance or supplementary benefit; if so, the rate; and if any arrears are due to her.
: The person concerned does not satisfy the contribution conditions for unemployment benefit.
She claimed unemployment assistance from 11 November 1981 to 8 January 1982 and she was assessed with means at £17.30 derived from the value of board and lodging in her parent's home and she was paid at the rate of £3.70 weekly. All unemployment assistance due in respect of this period has been paid and there are no arrears of supplementary welfare allowance due.
She claimed unemployment assistance again from 6 January 1983 to 12 January 1983 and her claim was allowed at the rate of £8.95 being the maximum rate payable to her £26.25 less £17.30. There are three days of unemployment assistance due to her when she next calls to her local office.
682.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) is entitled to unemployment benefit or assistance or supplementary benefit; if so, the rate; and if any arrears are due to him.
: The person concerned did not satisfy the statutory contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit.
He claimed unemployment assistance from 9 February 1982 to 6 April 1982 after which he ceased to prove unemployment. He was assessed with means at £21.10 derived from the value of board and lodging in his parents' home. The rate of means exceeded the maximum rate of unemployment assistance payable to him but following the budget increase from 1 April 1982 payment was authorised at £5.15 being the maximum rate payable to him £26.25 less £21.10.
There is a balance of unemployment assistance due to him, £1.70, which will be paid when he next calls to his local office. There are no arrears of supplementary welfare allowance due to him.
683.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a contributory widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare as she applied on 2 January 1983.
: The person concerned, whose husband died on 23 November 1982, claimed a widow's contributory pension on 13 January 1983 but her claim was refused as her late husband did not have sufficient insurance contributions to qualify her for such pension. She has been notified accordingly.
As he was also insured in the United Kingdom the relevant papers were forwarded to the Department of Health and Social Security, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, to have her title to British widow's pension considered. That Department will notify her of the result.
When a copy of his United Kingdom insurance record is received from the British authorities her title to an EEC pro-rata widow's pension based on his Irish and United Kingdom insurance records will be examined. If she becomes entitled to British and Irish pensions, both will be paid to her concurrently.
In the meantime her entitlement to a non-contributory widow's pension is under investigation and as soon as the social welfare officer's report in her case is received a decision will be given without delay.
684.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding an old age pension claim in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and when a final decision will be made on the application.
: The person concerned does not qualify for old age contributory pension as he does not satisfy the condition which requires him to have entered into insurance under the Social Welfare Acts before he attained the prescribed age which, in his case, is age 60 years. He has been informed accordingly. The question of his entitlement to a non-contributory old age pension is being investigated.
685.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for a reduction in the rate of the single woman's allowance being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
: The person concerned was assessed with weekly means of £12.00 derived from capital. She is therefore receiving £17.50 a week single woman's allowance being the maximum rate, £29.50 less means £12.00. She appealed against the assessment of means in her case but an appeals officer confirmed the assessment.
686.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the rate of old age pension being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare was reduced; and when a decision will be given on the appeal.
: Pension at the rate of £6.45 plus living alone allowance from 15 September 1982, reduced to £4.45 plus living alone allowance from 25 November 1982 was recommended and put into payment in this case. Means consist mainly of a British retirement pension which was increased in November and which accounts for the reduction in rate from that time.
The pension committee recently decided that the person was entitled to £16.45 plus living alone allowance. The social welfare officer has appealed against that decision and the matter is at present before an appeals officer for determination. His decision will be given shortly.
687.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if unemployment benefit was reduced in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; if so, the reason for the reduction; and if the amount deducted will now be paid.
: The claim of the person concerned on 29 October 1982 to unemployment benefit was disallowed on the grounds that he did not satisfy the contribution conditions in the governing contribution year. He then applied for unemployment assistance which was authorised at the weekly rate of £58.25 being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £63.75 less means £5.50. His means were subsequently reduced to nil from 29 October 1982 and he qualified for unemployment assistance from that date at the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £63.75. All arrears due were paid to him last week. He ceased to sign the unemployed register on 1 January 1983.
688.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the application for an old age pension in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and when a decision will be given on the appeal.
: The social welfare officer who investigated the claim for pension assessed means consisting of half the weekly value of lands and capital at £21.68 weekly. Pension at the reduced rate of £18.45 weekly was accordingly recommended and put into payment pending the pension committee's decision. The committee, however, awarded pension at the maximum rate of £34.45 a week and the social welfare officer has appealed against the decision. The case has been referred to an appeals officer and the claimant will be notified of the outcome in due course.
689.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason free fuel allowances were not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Clare.
: The national fuel scheme in County Clare is administered by the Mid-Western Health Board and it is understood from the board that a fuel allowance of £60.00 was granted to the person in question. In making the award the board took account of the circumstances of the household comprising three persons each of whom is receiving a pension. The board's decision as to the amount of the allowance was upheld by an appeals officer.
690.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork as she has been signing at the Cork city employment exchange for the past 15 weeks.
: The person concerned is not entitled to unemployment benefit as she does not satisfy the contribution conditions during the relevant contribution period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982. She claimed unemployment assistance and her case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. The inquiries were recently completed and the papers are at present in transit to a deciding officer who will assess her means. Her entitlement to unemployment assistance will then be determined.
691.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork despite the fact that he was declared unfit for work by his Department's referee.
: The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 1 July 1982, but was not entitled to payment as she had not the required minimum of 26 contributions paid or credited in the 1980-81 contribution year governing her claim. According to the records of the Department she had only 12 contributions paid in 1980-81.
From 3 January 1983 the governing contribution year is 1981-82 and as she had a total of 46 contributions paid she is qualified for payment at a reduced rate. There was delay, due to an administrative error, in issuing payment. All benefit payable from 3 January to 14 April, the date of the latest medical evidence received, has now been issued.
692.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of non-capital public expenditure in 1982 in relation to (1) disability benefits; (2) invalidity pensions; (3) unemployment benefits; (4) unemployment assistance; (5) old age pensions; (6) blind pensions; and (7) children's allowances.
: The information requested is as follows:—
|
Expenditure in 1982(provisional) |
|
|
£m |
|
|
(1) Disability Benefits (including pay-related benefit) |
174.03 |
|
(2) Invalidity Pensions |
47.33 |
|
(3) Unemployment Benefits (including pay-related benefit) |
210.79 |
|
(4) Unemployment Assistance (including payments tosmallholders) |
168.75 |
|
(5) Old Age Pensions and (6) Blind Pensions |
|
|
(a) Old Age and Blind Pensions (non-contributory) |
225.15* |
|
(b) Old Age Contributory Pensions |
180.96 |
|
(7) Children's Allowances |
151.41 |
* Expenditure on blind pensions which are paid at the same rates as old age (non-contributory) pensions, is not accounted for separately but is included as part of overall expenditure on old age and blind pensions. It is estimated, however, that expenditure in respect of blind pensions was of the order of £10 million in 1982.
693.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a non-contributory old age pension paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
: The old age pension claim of the person concerned has been partially investigated and will be referred to the local pension committee for decision on completion of inquiries.
694.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to have a non-contributory old age pension paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as the application has been made for some time.
: The investigation of the old age pension claim of the person concerned has not yet been completed. When inquiries are concluded the case will be referred to the local pension committee for decision.
695.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow.
: In order to qualify for unemployment assistance a person must be the holder of a qualification certificate which is a statement of his means. The person concerned applied for a qualification certificate in January 1982 but his application was refused on the ground that his means exceeded the statutory limit. He appealed against the decision but an appeals officer confirmed it.
The person concerned re-applied for a qualification certificate on 23 March 1983 and his application was sent to a social welfare officer to investigate his means. However, the papers did not reach the officer and the person concerned is being requested to complete a fresh application. The social welfare officer is being asked to deal with the application urgently and the entitlement of the person concerned will be determined in the light of his report.
696.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment assistance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Galway, as he has been signing since July, 1982.
: The person concerned re-applied for unemployment assistance on 24 August 1982 and his case was referred to a social welfare officer for investigation. Extensive inquiries were necessary regarding the deed of transfer of land to his son. The inquiries were recently completed and his claim was disallowed on the grounds that his means derived from a share of his wife's old age pension and the value of board and lodging on his son's farm exceeded the statutory limit. It is open to him to appeal against the disallowance. A form for this purpose may be obtained at his local office.
697.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason disability benefit was disallowed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Meath and an appeal not granted in her case.
: Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was disallowed from 28 February 1983 following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed against the decision to disallow benefit and in this connection arrangements have been made to have her examined by a different medical referee on 4 May. Her entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed when the report of the medical referee examination is received.
698.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit was not paid to a person (details supplied) in County Meath although he has been waiting for benefit for a considerable time.
: The person concerned exhausted his title to unemployment benefit on 22 May 1981 and has no requalifying contributions paid to-date.
He claimed unemployment assistance on 1 June 1982 but the papers of his case went astray in transit and a further investigation of his claim had to be made when the loss of documents was discovered. The inquiries have now been completed and he has been assessed with nil means effective to the date of commencement of his claim. He is accordingly entitled to unemployment assistance at the maximum weekly rate payable to him £25.45.
He was in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance pending the outcome of his case and arrangements have been made to recoup the health board for arrears of unemployment assistance which will be paid this week. Further payments at £25.45 will follow as weekly payments become due.
699.
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.
: The person concerned applied for a qualification certificate and unemployment assistance on 1 November 1982. Following inquiries he was assessed with weekly means of 45 pence derived from the benefit of board and lodgings on his parent's holding. Unemployment assistance has been authorised at the weekly rate of £25.00 being the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £25.45 less means 45 pence. All arrears due were paid to him last week. Further weekly payments will continue to be made as they become due.
700.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason his Department is insisting that a person (details supplied) in County Galway who resides on an island off the Galway coast during the summer months attend at the Clifden employment exchange on a daily basis to sign for unemployment assistance; if he will now make alternative arrangements requiring his attendance on a weekly basis only; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
: Under the normal signing arrangements persons living within two miles of a local office are required to attend daily at their local office to sign the live register. The address of the person concerned where his wife and children also reside is within two miles of his local office and he is therefore required to attend at his local office daily to sign the live register. However, it is understood that he has to stay on the island periodically for the purpose of tilling his plot. Arrangements will be made during such periods for weekly attendance provided he arranges this in advance with the local office.
701.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange for the payment of disability benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Galway.
: The person concerned was paid disability benefit from 9 August 1978 to 21 March 1983 after which date payment was disallowed following examination by a medical referee who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed against the disallowance and in connection with his appeal, arrangements have been made to have him examined by a different medical referee on 10 May 1983. His entitlement to further payment of disability benefit will be reviewed in the light of the medical referee's report following this examination.
702.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when unemployment benefit will be approved and paid to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon.
: The person concerned who is a postal applicant claimed unemployment benefit on 4 March 1983 but according to the Department's records he has insufficient contributions during the period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 to be entitled to benefit. He has been written to and asked to furnish a form P.45 or form P.60 or to supply details of his employment history to enable further inquiries to be made but he has not replied to date. He was also advised that it was open to him to claim unemployment assistance pending inquiries being made about his entitlement to unemployment benefit but he has declined to do so.
703.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will expedite the return of an old age pension book to a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and the reason for the delay.
: Through an oversight the April 1983 renewal pension book which should have been sent to the post office of the person concerned was not issued. The matter has now been rectified, however, and the inconvenience caused to the pensioner is regretted.
704.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay related unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
: The person concerned is currently in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit at the appropriate maximum weekly rate in her case of £27.80.
Under the regulations the sum of flat-rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any income tax rebates payable may not exceed 85 per cent of the claimant's net average weekly earnings. The person concerned was requested to furnish a tax form P.45 or other evidence of her earnings in the period from 6 April 1982 in order to establish the 85 per cent limit appropriate to her case but has not so far done so. She has again been requested to furnish the necessary documentation so that her entitlement to pay-related benefit can be determined.
705.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay-related unemployment benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
: The person concerned is in receipt of flat-rate unemployment benefit at the appropriate maximum rate in his case of £59.65 weekly.
Under the regulations the sum of flat-rate unemployment benefit, pay-related benefit and any income tax rebates payable may not exceed 85 per cent of the claimant's average net weekly earnings. This limit in the case of the person concerned was £59.01. As the flat-rate benefit of £59.65 which he is receiving exceeds this figure pay-related benefit is not payable in his case.
706.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position in relation to the old age pension application of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
: It has not been possible from the particulars supplied to trace an old age pension application from the person concerned in the records of the Department. If the Deputy could supply further details, particularly the person's pension reference number, the matter will be examined further.
707.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the present position regarding the payment of unemployment benefit to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
: The person concerned is at present in receipt of unemployment assistance at the rate of £48.50 being the maximum rate payable to him of £65.00 less means £16.50. Means in his case are derived from the benefit of his wife's earnings.
He applied to have his means reinvestigated and his case has been referred to a social welfare officer. When the inquiries are completed his means will be reviewed and the rate of unemployment assistance payable to him will be determined accordingly.
708.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a free electricity allowance has not been granted to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
: There is no trace either in the Department or in the District ESB office of the receipt of an application for a free electricity allowance from the person concerned. An application form has, therefore, been issued to her and it should be completed and forwarded in the first instance to the ESB for attention. On receipt of the completed application in the Department the case will be considered and she will be notified of the outcome.
709.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when pay-related benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny as he has been unemployed for the past nine weeks.
: Inquiries were necessary to ascertain the reckonable weekly earnings of the person concerned to enable his entitlement to pay-related benefit to be determined. These were recently completed and all arrears of pay-related benefit due were paid on 14 April 1983. Further combined weekly payments of £70.74 representing flat rate unemployment benefit £31.65 and pay-related benefit £39.09 will be made as they become due.
710.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an application for invalidity pension will be dealt with and payment made in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who has been in receipt of disability benefit for a number of years.
: The person concerned has been awarded an invalidity pension from 10 March 1983. The pension book payable from 28 April 1983 was issued to the designated post office of payment on 18 April 1983. Arrears in respect of the period from 10 March 1983 to 27 April 1983, less the amount of disability benefit paid during that period will be paid by payable order.
711.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if social welfare at the correct rate is being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
: The person concerned is at present in receipt of weekly payment of £33.99 which represents the maximum flat-rate unemployment benefit payable to a single person £31.65 and pay-related benefit £2.34. Pay-related benefit is calculated on the amount of his reckonable earnings during the income tax period 6 April 1981 to 5 April 1982 during which period his reckonable earnings amounted to £2,069.77. He is accordingly being paid the amount of flat-rate unemployment benefit and pay-related benefit to which he is entitled.
712.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an application for a transfer from disability benefit to invalidity pension which was made eight weeks ago had not been replied to in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
: The person concerned is not qualified for invalidity pension because, according to the records of the Department, he has less than 156 weeks of insurable employment in respect of which the appropriate contributions have been paid since his entry into insurance. He has been requested to forward additional information to the Department with a view to ascertaining whether he had any other periods of insurable employment which would serve to qualify him for invalidity pension or for continued entitlement to disability benefit.
713.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment benefit has not been paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
: Inquiries were necessary regarding the insurance record of the person concerned before his entitlement to unemployment benefit could be determined. His claim has been authorised at the weekly rate of £100.82, including £25.82 pay-related benefit and all arrears due to him were paid last week. Further weekly payments will continue as they become due.
714.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a pension at the full rate is not being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
: The pension in payment to the person concerned—£32.45 per week —is the rate appropriate to the assessment of her means, consisting of half the weekly value of capital, including the capital value of a house which is let.
715.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a decision will be made on an appeal against the refusal of a qualification certificate in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny.
: Following receipt of an appeal by the person concerned against the disallowance of his unemployment assistance claim the case was referred to a social welfare officer for further inquiries. These inquiries were recently completed and in the light of the report a deciding officer revised his previous assessment and assessed means at nil with effect from the commencement of his claim.
Arrangements have been made to commence weekly payment of unemployment assistance at £55.50 this week and when the amount of supplementary welfare allowance which had been advanced to him is known, he will be paid the balance of any arrears due.
716.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason unemployment assistance was reduced in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
: Following a review of his case the means of the person concerned were assessed at £32.70 derived from his land with effect from 23 February 1983. The weekly rate of unemployment assistance payable to him is £11.25 being the maximum rate £43.95 less £32.70. He has 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.
717.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a children's allowance was discontinued in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
: Children's allowance will be discontinued in respect of the child in question with effect from 1 July 1983 as the school authorities have certified his attendance at school up to and including June 1983 only. If he continues in fulltime education after this date the claimant may apply for a further continuation of allowance in respect of him up to and including August 1983 when he reaches 18 years of age. Children's allowance is not payable beyond that age.
718.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when arrears of disability benefit will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal.
: The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 30 December 1982. Payment was issued to 15 March 1983 when, arising from an administrative error, payment was discontinued. All benefit payable from 16 March to 14 April 1983 has now been issued. She has been in receipt of maternity benefit since 15 April 1983.
719.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will confirm that a death grant and six weeks' payment of a non-contributory old age pension have been paid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford who died recently; and, if so, to whom payment was made.
: It has not been possible from the information supplied to trace a claim for death grant or non-contributory old age pension in respect of the person mentioned by the Deputy in the details supplied with the question. If the Revenue and social insurance number, the old insurance number or the pension number of the deceased or the claimant can be quoted this will enable the claims to be identified and the information sought by the Deputy to be supplied.
720.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason national school teachers who remained in service after the change from non-contributory to contributory pensions in 1953 have received occupational pensions based on both payments, while those who left before the contributory period received nothing.
: National school teachers have been insured under the social insurance system for widow's contributory pension and orphan's contributory pension since 1936; they have been insured for deserted wife's benefit since 1973 and they have been insured for occupational injuries benefit since 1967. Their modified rate of contribution to the social insurance system does not provide cover for any other benefit or pension.
Occupational pensions payable to national school teachers do not come within the system of social insurance administered by the Department of Social Welfare and the conditions under which occupational pensions are granted are not the responsibility of that Department.